THE first UAAP men’s basketball championship of the University of the Philippines featured one Venancio “Benjie” Paras, who eventually became the first and still the only rookie MVP of the PBA. Not even June Mar Fajardo did that, and he won his second MVP by preventing rookie Danny Seigle from tarnishing his distinction.

The next UP championship featured Carl Tamayo, tagged as the next most important big man of Philippine basketball (after Kai Sotto) and he did not disappoint. His commitment to self-improvement paid dividends, as he was easily a fixture in Gilas, and was the prized recruit of the Fighting Maroons, following his high school coach, Goldwyn Monteverde.

In his first season, he handily won the Rookie of the Year award, and was touted to be an MVP candidate. The award went to his teammate, the Maroons foreign-student athlete Malick Diouf, but Tamayo was as gracious of a team player, not forcing the plays to go through him. This is probably why the Ryukyu Golden Kings thought he would be ready for the pros. It’s not just about talent, it’s maturity and adaptability.

Much respect to Bo Perasol, coach Monteverde and the UP brass for allowing their player to grab the best opportunity, even if it would be a huge blow to the team. They were more than just coaches, they truly looked out for their players, almost like second parents. This is how college basketball coaches should be.

As a Maroon lifer, it’s bittersweet since Tamayo really was the best talent ever recruited since Paras, and he only played for two seasons. However, that was the most successful calendar year in UP basketball history. Of course, star players remain loyal to the one college they went to, even NBA one-and-dones like Kevin Durant or Jayson Tatum.

The pipeline

It’s not just the PBA that’s reeling from the “poaching” of international leagues. It used to be a given that star players would use all their eligible years in the UAAP before jumping into the PBA. (See the Ravenas for Ateneo). Nowadays, as Bo Perasol admitted, they have to accept that their talents could leave even after just two or three years.

Side note: It’s a hard slap for the PBA that players in Ravena’s time would stay in the UAAP until they’re 25, but don’t have the same patience when Japan or Korea beckons. Somebody needs to loosen the purse strings.

The only solution for continuity in college is constant, unceasing recruitment. This is not the pros, and the more talented your player, the shorter the leash you have on him. Carl Tamayo in his rookie year was better than half the starting big men in the PBA. This is the new generation of Filipino players — like the American players in the 90s and even before: pro ready right out of high school.

A steady pipeline of recruits means constant effort, and that’s why coaching in college is way different from the pros. It’s 50 percent X and Os, and 50 percent recruitment.

Side note: The grapevine says there’s another aspect to college coaching, and possibly the most important: satisfying the sponsors and boosters who bankroll the team. Even if you’re a winning coach, your seat would be in peril (see Aldin Ayo and DLSU).

What now, Maroons?

Almost the entire frontline of UP has been decimated. Zavier Lucero and Henry Galinato, starting forward and main backup big man have both graduated their eligibility. Now, Tamayo has left. It’s only MVP Malick Diouf.

But the Maroons have next men up, not to mention prize recruits. Bismarck Lina and Anton Eusebio would finally have playing time at the forward spots. At center, UP has Sean Alter, a 6’9 Filipino American. They are also in the running for Seven Gagate and Manuel Pablo, stalwarts of the Gilas Youth Team.

The two Gilas Youths were apparently concerned with their possible playing time, (perhaps seeing a high school starter like Lina on the bench), but with the departure of the resident bigs, they have a clear shot at major minutes in a top college program.