By Jerome Lagunzad
Another UAAP school is in search for a new men’s basketball coach.
A day after Rodil “Boy” Sablan stepped down as University of Santo Tomas’ tactician, veteran mentor Derrick Pumaren has reportedly raised his hands, ending a four-year affair with University of the East – his Alma Mater.
The Red Warriors failed to reach the Final Four round under the tutelage of Pumaren, who amassed a win-loss record of 21-35 since he took over the coaching post from former UE standout Boycie Zamar in 2014.
Pumaren was a member of the UE team that won back-to-back championships in 1978 and 1979.
Former UE great Allan Caidic, who steered the Red Warriors to back-to-back championships in 1984-85, looms as one of the early candidates for the coaching vacancy.
Tempo-Manila Bulletin tried to reach Pumaren through calls and text yesterday to confirm the report circulating online, but no response has been made as of press time.
While Pumaren has kept mum at the moment, he already made it clear to UE team management that he needs stronger support in terms of ramping up its recruitment program that includes hiring of African imports, a familiar trend in the UAAP men’s basketball tourney for the past few years.
Since then, UE team management refused to field an import and instead tried to go all in with an all-Filipino crew that proved no match against their rivals boosted by touted reinforcements.
“I am still thinking if I’m going to renew for next year, depende sa direction ng team,” said Pumaren after UE suffered an 88-85 setback to erstwhile winless UST at the close of its UAAP Season 80 campaign last Nov. 12.
“As I’ve said before, I need horses, I need players too. Sometimes I envy other teams. Like, UST has got an import, UP has got an import. Kami kahit isa, wala. It’s so hard to get a 6-7, 6-8 Filipino now, ‘di ba? Saan kami hahanap?
Unless we go as Fil-Am, but the budget is still (not enough). That’s still another story.”
