Ateneo is team to beat for UAAP Season 84, coaches say

Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University remains the team to beat for the season, UAAP coaches said ahead of the league's opening on Saturday.

In a press conference on Wednesday, head coaches Nash Racela (Adamson University), Derrick Pumaren (DLSU), Olsen Racela (FEU), Jeff Napa (NU), Jack Santiago (UE), and Goldwin Monteverde (UP) named the Katipunan-based squad as one of their teams to beat.

Others also named the UP Fighting Maroons, the DLSU Green Archers, and the FEU Tamaraws in their lists.

Despite the consensus, Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin said there are still a lot of unknowns in the upcoming season.

"I wish I could feel more comfortable going into the season about how the team would play but I think we've got to get out there and experience our opponents and everybody will have their own level of readiness at the beginning of the season," Baldwin said.

"I think as we go through the first couple of weeks of the first round, everybody will begin to settle in their own rhythm and we'll see probably better basketball and hopefully it will stay competitive right throughout the season," he added.

The blue-and-white will try to ace their fourth straight title, bannered by national team players Ange Kouame, SJ Belangel, Dave Ildefonso, and Geo Chiu. Veterans Gian Mamuyac, Tyler Tio, and Raffy Verano will also return for the season.

The UAAP is set to open on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

—MGP, GMA News