In line with the return of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball tournament, this weekly series will analyze the state of the Ateneo Blue Eagles in their quest for the four-peat.

AFTER MORE than two years since they clinched their third straight crown behind a dominant 16-0 season, the Ateneo Blue Eagles are coming back to begin their UAAP title defense. However, for the first time since their dynastic run began, Ateneo is facing significant roster turnover following the offseason departures of Thirdy Ravena, Will Navarro, Matt Nieto, Adrian Wong, Isaac Go, and Pat Maagdenberg.

With the nucleus of the UAAP Season 82 championship team gone, Head Coach Tab Baldwin is looking for the current players to step up, testing the “Next Man Up” mantra that was crucial to the Blue Eagles’ past success.

To fill the void left by most of Baldwin’s previous core group, several veterans and newcomers are now expected to handle a variety of roles. Gian Mamuyac is taking over from Mike Nieto’s captaincy duties, while Raffy Verano is returning from a one-year absence to replace Will Navarro on defense and rebounding. SJ Belangel is stepping up to Matt Nieto’s job as the starting point guard, and Ange Kouame is back to reprise his role as the team’s primary big man. Geo Chiu is also returning to slide into Isaac Go’s job of providing depth and spacing, while RV Berjay is assuming Pat Maagdenberg’s responsibilities in the frontcourt as an offensive weapon off the bench.

Meanwhile, BJ Andrade is primed to replace Adrian Wong as a 3-and-D wingman. Lastly, Dave Ildefonso—who transferred from the National University (NU) Bulldogs after UAAP Season 82—is looking to pick up the leading scorer role left by Thirdy Ravena.

Apart from the players in the roster that can take over vacant roles, the Blue Eagles’ chances at clinching the 4-peat will be further bolstered by other veterans hungry to leave their mark. Guards Tyler Tio and Jolo Mendoza—who have shown flashes as scorers in previous seasons—are back to provide their sweet-shooting capabilities from the mid-range and beyond the arc. Flanking Tio and Mendoza are forwards Troy Malilin and Chew Daves. who are also returning to provide athleticism and versatility in the frontcourt.

With UAAP Season 84 on the horizon, here are key storylines to look out for as the Blue Eagles begin their quest for a fourth straight championship:

1. What will the team chemistry be like?

Neal: Throughout Ateneo’s perfect season in UAAP Season 82, much of their success was derived from the team’s cohesion and familiarity with Baldwin’s system, which was evident in their league-leading 16.93 assists per game. Moreover, the Blue Eagles boasted the second-best scoring offense in the UAAP without having more than two players average more than 10 points per game. The Blue and White’s camaraderie in UAAP Season 82 stemmed from their nucleus, having been together for four seasons under Baldwin.

With many of the players that embodied the program’s stability now gone, Ateneo will field a team with many new players who will take time to integrate with the team’s holdovers. This may prove to be a challenging task for the Blue Eagles, who have been training in a bubble for only a handful of months without any preseason tournaments to build on-court chemistry.

“While we want to go into the season being cohesive, we [also] don’t know a lot about our opponents because of a lack of preseason games. I think that’s a disadvantage, but I also think that every team has to adjust to the same things,” Baldwin explained during the UAAP Season 84 opening press conference.

 “We will have some new faces, but we also have veteran players that give us the experience and leadership that we need,” added the seasoned coach.

With limited time to jell as a group and no preseason tournament, it will be interesting to see how well the team will play together and execute the American-Kiwi tactician’s system.

2. Is anyone ready to dethrone Coach Tab at the top?

Anton: Ever since he took the reins as head coach of the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team, Tab Baldwin has quickly emerged as one of the greatest coaches to ever grace the UAAP. His résumé speaks for itself, winning three championships in his first four years as coach of the Blue Eagles.

Coach Baldwin still sits at the top of the UAAP food chain with his run of dominance, but without star players Thirdy Ravena and Matt Nieto, things may be more turbulent than he’s used to.

Although there are question marks for the roster, concerns for the upcoming season don’t only exist internally. De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines have both made massive overhauls to their rosters and–more notably–their coaching staffs. Derrick Pumaren is introducing his press defense to the Green Archers, while Goldwyn Monteverde is bringing championship experience to the Fighting Maroons. Not to be outdone is Olsen Racela, who is looking to reach bigger heights after a Final 4 appearance last season.

With all these contenders ready to lay claim to the throne, there is sure to be some added competition facing the former Gilas coach and his managerial crown.

3. Who will be this season’s King Eagle?

Ra: With Thirdy Ravena moving on to pursue his professional career, the throne of Ateneo basketball’s King Eagle remains vacant.

Coming off an impressive Gilas stint and a stellar performance in the UAAP Season 82 finals, SJ Belangel looks to continue his hot streak as he gets more playing time following the departure of Ateneo’s three-peat core. With an average playing time of 11:53 minutes in Season 82, Belangel was able to provide a productive 6.43 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.86 assists, highlighted by an impressive 40.48 percent shooting from the arc.

Other Blue Eagles looking to lead the team include 6’10” big man Angelo Kouame, who is also set for bigger things as the recently naturalized center aims to remain as a threat on both ends of the court. The Ivorian-Filipino was the second leading scorer for Ateneo in Season 82 with an average of 12.5 points, all the while grabbing 11.79 rebounds, and blocking 3.86 shots.

Ateneo veterans such as newly-minted captain Gian Mamuyac, returning Raffy Verano, and sweet-shooting guards Tyler Tio and Jolo Mendoza are also poised to step-up with bigger roles for the team. New recruit Dave Ildefonso also positions himself to take up Ravena’s mantle if he can fit into the Blue Eagles’ style of play. As the main scorer for the Bulldogs in Season 82, Ildefonso averaged 17.14 points, 5.93 boards, and 2.14 dimes.

Nonetheless, with coach Tab Baldwin’s “Next Man Up” mantra and emphasis on team-play, every member of the Blue Eagles is expected to rise up to the occasion.

This week’s games:

Saturday, March 26, 4:00 PM, vs University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at the Mall of Asia Arena

Tuesday, March 29, 1:00 PM, vs Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the Mall of Asia Arena

Thursday, March 31, 10:00 AM, vs Adamson Soaring Falcons at the Mall of Asia Arena