The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons will have a new group of players taking on leadership roles when season 87 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines reels off on Sept. 7 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Returning senior cagers JD Cagulangan and Gerry Abadiano, along with Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez, will lead the fight for the Fighting Maroons in their quest to make it back to the finals.
The three are expected to shine in the presence of new recruits coming into the roster.
The Maroons will have newcomers in the mix, like Quentin Millora-Brown, Gani Stevens, former Gilas Youth prospect Jacob Bayla and Nigerian foreign student-athlete Dikachi Udodo.
The 6’10” Millora-Brown, a Filipino-American center for the Citadel Bulldogs in Charleston, South Carolina, is a one-and-done player, playing for one season with the Fighting Maroons.
Cagulangan takes on the captain’s role with one more season left, a job he assumes following the departure of graduates, CJ Cansino and Malick Diouf.
The Fighting Maroons, who lost the crown last year to the La Salle Green Archers, will clash with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the lone opening encounter.
The Eraserheads, composed of Ely Buendia, Raymund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro, will again reunite to perform in the opening ceremony.
The band recently received the Gawad Oblation Award, the highest honor UP bestows on its alumni for significant contributions and extraordinary service.
