UAAP Season 80 Preview: The UST Growling Tigers and the UE Red Warriors look to jump start their rebuild in a big way

The beat of the drums start to fill the ears of basketball fans, while Philippine Basketball Twitter is at its peak from 2pm up to 8pm. Students from different schools debate on who the best team is in the league. Players start to jaw at each other in order to get an edge on the basketball court. Of course, there's the sound of the alumni, with their finger pointed towards the referee as they shout "HOY REF, FOUL?!?!?!" 

It's been a while, UAAP. We missed you. It's that time of the year again.

To jump start the coverage for this season, we'll be previewing the eight teams by discussing a question that's of utmost importance for each one. This can be something that matters in the long-term or in the short-term. As long as it's something that can be a topic of discussion, we'll talk about it on this space. 

Aside from the previews for each team, there might also be other companion pieces discussing the rookies and whatnot. 

To start things off, we'll be talking about the two rebuilding teams this season, your UST Growling Tigers and UE Red Warriors.

UST Growling Tigers: Can Steve Akomo do enough to keep the UST Program relevant?

Record last season: 3-11

(Photo Credit: Josh Albelda, ABS CBN Sports

Just two years ago, the UST program looked to be on its way towards their first championship after nine years of failed Final Four stints, and two heartbreaking losses. Instead, Mac Belo and the FEU Tamaraws had other plans and took the Growling Tigers down en route to their 20th UAAP Championship.

The Growling Tigers haven't managed to rise up ever since.

UST has faced controversy after controversy ever since they made the Finals two years ago. Boy Sablan's coaching has been at the forefront of all this, and it reached its climax when Embons Bonleon and Renzo Subido chose to sit out this season, with the former explicitly saying he didn't want to play for Sablan anymore. Those two were supposed to be among the leaders of UST this season along with Marvin Lee. Now, it's just Lee who remains from that trio. He has some help beside him though.

Steve Akomo was hyped up by Coach Boy Sablan as a game changer once the Growling Tigers managed to nab him. Based on how he's performed during the preseason, the title of game changer might be a stretch. No doubt about it though, he's an import who can do more than enough to make teams think twice about underestimating the Growling Tigers.

But can he do enough to show that the UST Growling Tigers are still a program worth playing under?

Last year, the Growling Tigers were clearly out of sorts. Not only did they do bad in the basketball court, but their status as a program was in question. There was no stability with the team. No semblance of direction could be seen from them last season. 

UST will likely not make it to the Final Four, considering the depth of competition in the UAAP this season. But at the very least, they should find a way to stay relevant and stable this season so they hae something to look forward to. It's ultimately going to lie on the broad shoulders of Steve Akomo, for better or for worse.

UE Red Warriors: What drastic step will they take to start its rebuild?

Record last season: 3-11

(Photo Credit: Spin.ph)

There was a running joke around social media regarding the UE Red Warriors during the Filoil Preseason Tournament. Every time the Filoil Facebook page would upload who led each team in statistics, it would show Alvin Pasaol leading the Red Warriors in most of the categories. Thus the birth of the UE Red Pasaols.

The UE Red Warriors program is clearly not in the best shape.

UE has been known to produce a number of stars that have come from not so ideal circumstances. James Yap, Elmer Espiritu, Paul Lee and Roi Sumang are some of the names who fit this mold of the UE Red Warriors star.

Alvin Pasaol looks like the kind of player who could join that list of names, but the reality of it is, in today's UAAP, having one star local player isn't enough. Not only have imports started to dominate the league, but locals have gotten a lot better too. The depth around the league continues to grow, while the Red Warriors' talent pool remains thin.

Something has to change with UE. Will it be its coaching staff? Maybe management decides to change its philosophy regarding its technique regarding recruitment? Point is, something has to budge, or else UE may continue to find itself below the standings for a long, long time.