After strengthening their ties all pre-season, Jian Salarzon believes that the Ateneo Blue Eagles can fly higher in UAAP Season 87.
After strengthening their ties all pre-season, Jian Salarzon believes that the Ateneo Blue Eagles can fly higher in UAAP Season 87.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles are hoping to regain their powerhouse form as they enter UAAP Season 87 men's volleyball tournament beginning this weekend with a fresh take, with Vince Mangulabnan also taking over as head coach for the Katipunan-based squad.
After a productive offseason where they were able to develop not only their skills but the players’ relationship, veteran hitter Jian Salarzon is optimistic of what the team can do, even as they adjust to Mangulabnan’s system.
“Personally, yung difference talaga [coming into this new season] is yung bond ng isa’t isa, and yung chemistry namin inside and outside the court. Parang naging better. Doble compared sa last year,” Salarzon told One Sports during UAAP Content Day earlier this month.
“Siguro, yun din yung makakatulong samin para yung togetherness namin inside the court, and outside the court, andoon and lahat kami on the same mindset and lahat kami one goal lang this season.”
In UAAP Season 86, the Blue Eagles fell painstakingly short of a shot at the Final Four, with a 7-7 slate — just a game behind eventual finalists’ UST’s 8-6 record which propelled them into the semifinals where they booted out top seed FEU.
Now with a different approach to the game tactically and from an emotional standpoint, there is much to be optimistic about for the Blue Eagles, especially with holdovers like Salarzon, along with Kennedy Batas and Lance De Castro.
Though not putting too much pressure on himself, the 21-year-old did put himself up to a standard where he wanted to bring more to the table, especially after seeing the team fail to reach their goals in Season 86.
With everything reset to 0-0 before opening weekend, Salarzon hopes to make a bigger impact and maybe, just maybe, restore the Blue Eagles to former glory.
“Well, personal expectation ko is of course makapag-perform ako ng maayos and mahigitan ko kung ano yung pinakita ko last year. Sana more pa yung mapakita ko this season talaga,” said Salarzon.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles will open their campaign in UAAP Season 87 as the first game on Sunday, February 16. They face the Adamson Soaring Falcons at 9am to kick off a quadruple header at the Mall of Asia Arena.