Rebuilding Tams add homegrown flavor for Filoil joust

MANILA, Philippines – The Far Eastern University Tamaraws enter the upcoming Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup in a rebuilding mode. Many of its key players from its UAAP title squad of 2015 — Prince Orizu and Richard Escoto — and big stars  Arvin Tolentino and Jasper Parker have moved on.

Only two players are left from their UAAP Season 78 title team — point guard Wendell Comboy and forward-center Barkley Eboña. But they do have other experienced veterans such as Hubert Cani, Kimlee Bayquin, Joe Nunag, Alec Stockton, Brandrey Bienes, Kenneth Tuffin and Clifford Jopia, who should see more playing time this season.

Also back for his fourth year at the helm is head coach Olsen Racela. 

The new team they are putting up has a distinct homegrown feel. Coming up from their juniors team are Royce Alforque, LJ Gonzales, who was on last year’s UAAP team, Jack Gloria, Xyrus Torres, Rei Tolentino, and Daniel Celzo, who were all mainstays in the Season 78 UAAP Juniors championship team.

It is hoped that with the experience gained not only in the juniors division of the UAAP but also other tournaments — along with chemistry — the Tamaraws will have the makings of a title contender in the seniors ranks within a few years.

Cameroonian Patrick Tchuente takes over the slot previously manned by Orizu. Other newcomers vying for slots in the UAAP lineup include Fil-Australian Cade Flores, former Ateneo de Cebu players Rendell Senining and Travis Mantua.

FEU is in Group B along with Adamson, College of St. Benilde, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Letran, Lyceum of the Philippines, Mapua and National University.

The Tamaraws open their Filoil bid on Friday, May 10, when they battle Letran at the 4 p.m. offering at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.