Seems like the UAAP Season 76 was just yesterday. The euphoria, jubilation and bliss from last season continue to linger in the hearts and minds of every Lasallian     moments such as Jeron Teng's game winner against Ateneo, Almond Vosotros' game heroics against Adamson, Green Archers' second round reversal of fate (second round sweep), most especially, DLSU Green Archers' historic Game 3 come from behind win, clinching its 8th UAAP Men's Basketball Title. But as Dan Brown puts it, "Sooner or later, we've all got to let go of our past", and in Green Archers' case, the time is now, the time to defend the throne.

With the new UAAP season fast approaching, teams have bulked up and solidified their respective rosters, some replaced their coaching personnels, and others focused on making adjustments on both ends of the court      all of which are preparatory acts for the upcoming struggle to dethrone the incumbent kings of UAAP Senior Men's Basketball.

However, this article will focus on things that are relevant to the Green Archers pursuant to their title-defense campaign, which include: (1) Season 77 lineup, (2) Coaching modifications (if any), lastly (3) keys to success.

Lineup

The Green Archers led by star and go-to-guy Jeron Teng will be defending their crown with vast and experienced pool of talents including the much-improved post player Arnold Van Opstal, lefty swingman Jason Perkins, underrated playmaker Thomas Torres, veteran gunslinger Almond Vosotros, veteran big man Norbert Torres, aggressive defender Robert Bolick, court general Kib Montalbo, marksman Matt Salem and returning from injury, veteran shot blocker Yutien Andrada.

The Green Archers will parade four players who will don the Green and White uniform for the first time; and certainly these guys are impact players that will help in their bid to defend the coveted crown: prized high school recruit Prince Rivero, playmaker and spot-up shooter Terrence Mustre, cat-quick forward Julian Sargent, and backup post player Abu Tratter.

As the 77th season closing in, the defensive Taft-based squad is expecting rough challenges from the opposing UAAP schools. While the Green Archers boost their chances with new standouts, the other universities have enriched their respective squads by obtaining new recruits that can luckily give them the boost they need this season.

Coaching

The success of the Green Archers last UAAP season cannot be attributed to the talent and depth of its roster alone, but also beneath the glare of their coaching staff headed by Juno Sauler. Optimistic as it sounds, the Green Archers will definitely be a contender for a couple of years under the supervision of Coach Sauler. His tranquil coaching attitude, though oftentimes mistaken as an arrogant approach, shaped the way the Green Archers play as it firmly instilled discipline and teamwork to the players, which translated to victories that led to Championship crown. In addition, the coaching staff have undergone a pair of coaching clinic conducted by San Antonio Spurs assistant Chip Engelland in the United States and by Basketball New South Wales, which specifically tailored for the Archers staff, in Australia. Along with these, the Green Archers simultaneously got an upgrade in their coaching personnel with the addition of Freddie Abuda, one of the most imposing defender during his heyday. With a new task at hand, let's see how will this pan out for Coach Juno and the whole Green Archers. 

Who needs to BOX OUT this upcoming season?

The Rookies:

This year’s team has four rookies, namely, Julian Sargent, Prince Rivero, Abu Tratter, and Terence Mustre. Sargent is an athletic player who has shown he is able to finish at the rim, and hit a few threes, while also working hard on defense. Prince Rivero is an all-around player who can rebound well, score some points, and even dish some dimes. Abu Tratter is an athletic freak who can jump out of the gym, using his leaping ability to get some boards, and cleaning up his teammate’s misses. Terence Mustre is a bulky but speedy point guard who can provide some quick baskets and fancy assists. These four rookies have great potential to become very important players in the future, but that does not mean they won’t have moments to shine in the upcoming season. Expect to see some good games from them.

The Frontcourt:

The Archers have perhaps the deepest frontcourt rotation among all UAAP teams last season. This year's frontcourt now looks even more deeper. They have Jeron Teng and Prince Rivero at the small forward spot, Jason Perkins, the returning Yutien Andrada, and Matt Salem at the power forward spot, and Arnold van Opstal, Norbert Torres, and Abu Tratter (who could also play PF) at the center

position. Their job is to literally, box out opponents, lure the defense so that the guards can get their shots, and of course, pounding the ball inside the paint. The Archers' inside scoring is the bread and butter of their offense. Expect the Archers to assert their imposing inside presence once again this season.

Final Thoughts

After winning the UAAP championship last year, the Archers have shown that when they are in their best form, very few teams can match up against them. Their success carried on in both the PCCL and in the FilOil Flying V Preseason tournament, winning the championship in both tournaments. This year, they are out to prove that the Green Archers of old are truly back, and last year was the preface of the history they're bound to write. The keys for this year's team would be the same as it was during their impressive 10-1 run to the championship, Composure, Chemistry, and Defense. Despite having their backs against the wall, they need to remain calm, assess their situation, and find a way out of it. The reason for the success of their coaches' system is because of their chemistry, their talents were maximized due to the team concept which was preached by Coach Juno. It is also with this concept that they were able to have a balanced offense, which gives all players an opportunity to shine. Lastly, defense is what also led them to the championship. With a big and imposing frontcourt, along with a number of athletic and physical players, this made their defense hard to break. With these elements, they would be able to win the championship crown this season.

Coach Juno and the boys have a lot of challenges ahead of them, but if they were able to win one last year, they could definitely win one this year. With their talent, the title is theirs to lose. The pressure may be high on the Archers, but it’s hard to beat a young and still hungry team wanting more. This season the Archers should not overpower other teams, but beat them like they have previously done. They have proven themselves to the league already, the battle is not with them, but within.