What’s in a name? For UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde, it might be a prophecy.
That is, coach Goldwin has made himself synonymous with success when it comes to the Fighting Maroons in the UAAP.
Before Monteverde’s entry into Diliman, the UP Fighting Maroons had no claim to recent success in UAAP men’s basketball, with only their Benjie Paras-led title conquest in 1986 to speak of.
Now, after four seasons with coach Gold at the helm, UP has enjoyed a more consistent winning culture — highlighted by two titles in four straight Finals appearances.
As the Maroons fight to repeat as champions for the first time ever in UAAP Season 88, One Sports sat down with Monteverde to dive deeper into his team’s success and the secret to making UP the team to beat.
In his own words, coach Gold bared what it takes to be the “gold standard” in UAAP men’s basketball.
Many of Goldwin Monteverde’s high school players from NU-Nazareth School reunited with him at Diliman
Following the leader
Coinciding with Monteverde’s entry into UP was the influx of players that were formerly with NU-Nazareth School, long established as a UAAP juniors powerhouse.
After his exit from a brief stint as NU’s head coach during the pandemic, more than a handful of players ended up reuniting with coach Gold at UP Diliman for his new journey.
As a first time head coach on the collegiate level, it was a welcome development for Monteverde.
“Actually, blessing sa akin na nakasama ko yung mga former players ko,” Monteverde told One Sports.
“Kasi itong mga bagay na ito, tipong [you] just talk about these things. [You tell your players], ano ba pangarap mo?”
Those who had followed him to Diliman in his first two years of coaching are now heading into their final year of eligibility in the UAAP.
Dubbed as UP’s “Maroon 5,” the core of Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Harold Alarcon, Reyland Torres, and Janjan Felicilda are out to give themselves — and their coach — a great season.
[RELATED: Minus key pieces, UP Fighting Maroons brace for competitive title defense in UAAP Season 88]
“Seeing them progress from the very first season til now, syempre, ako as a coach, masaya ako for them,” he said.
“Ang dream naman for every player talaga is to get them to the next level,” coach Gold added.
With all of them now UAAP champions, Monteverde is right in the alley of bringing them to success outside of UP.
All in a hard day’s work
It would be natural to assume that the coach gets most of the credit for a program that now celebrates UAAP titles instead of singular wins.
But for Monteverde, building a winner is not as straightforward and easy as it sounds.
As a witness to his players’ grit and determination year in and year out, Monteverde doesn’t believe there’s a one way ticket to success — rather, it’s something that he and his Maroons fight for every day to get that moment of glory at
the end of the season.
“There’s no secret about it. But you know, everybody has to really work for it. I think yung commitment of yung buong coaching staff and the whole team, yun yung importante,” he said.
“I’ve been blessed din to have athletes that are willing to work or face whatever challenges we’re facing. I think yun yung talagang isa naging key namin for these past few years,” he added.
With bigger and better competitions — and key pieces having left for greener pastures — UP now gets ready to bid for its first successful title defense.
Repeating as UAAP champions is now the puzzle coach Gold gets to solve.
Aldous Torculas and Seven Gagate were among players who exited the UP program in recent months
Come and go
Despite making the UAAP Finals for four straight seasons, things haven’t been quite as steady as Monteverde would’ve liked.
Just like in any other program, there’s movement both for and against the Fighting Maroons, with players joining and leaving UP during his tenure as head coach.
Such is the uncertainty of the UAAP game, and Monteverde does his best to find solace in the balance of being a coach, and being a mentor and father figure to his players — maintaining that attention to caring regardless of what happens in their careers.
“Ang hirap i-balance yung situation na yan, in a way,” admitted Monteverde.
“Buti sana kung yung mga players, para sayo gagamitin mo lang di ba? Pero syempre, along the way habang nagw-work kayo, yung relasyon niyo [nag-gogrow].”
A harsh truth in the college game, some players may choose greener pastures in the middle of their collegiate careers.
[RELATED: Why LSGH product Josh Coronel stayed with UP after Luis Pablo, Seven Gagate exits]
Most recently, two players from Monteverde’s UAAP Season 87 championship team left the program in Aldous Torculas and Seven Gagate.
For Monteverde, it does leave a bitter taste in the mouth, but he acknowledged that some players do need to grow away from him and the Fighting Maroons.
“Minsan, may mararamdaman ka rin eh, pag biglang mawawala sa amin itong isang kasama namin,” he said.
“But then, in hindsight naman kung mas makakabuti naman for him in the long run, in terms of his career, syempre, for us, okay na rin kami ro'n. But then, of course, if everybody would stay, why not, di ba?” the coach added.
Rey Remogat and Veejay Pre are two of the blue-chip recruits from other UAAP schools that UP was able to net
Making the most of their chances
While players have left the Fighting Maroons, they have also been on the receiving end of similar player transfers — with most even coming as blue-chip recruits.
For UAAP Season 88, UP will banner one key addition in Rey Remogat, who was previously with the UE Red Warriors.
Meanwhile, ex-FEU protege Veejay Pre will play starting UAAP Season 89, after playing just one year with the Tamaraws where he won Rookie of the Year.
Because of the nature of recruiting in the UAAP, the Fighting Maroons have recently developed a reputation in the league, one that has drawn the ire of their rivals.
[ALSO READ: UP’s Rey Remogat returns to different UAAP atmosphere after transfer from UE]
But for Monteverde, he believes that UP’s team success is what draws players in.
“I don’t know, minsan napapansin ko kasi iba [yung reaksyon] pag dito sa amin pumunta… But then, I think it happens to every team,” Monteverde said.
“Minsan, kung alam mong paalis na talaga from another team [yung player], I mean, if you have a chance to recruit a certain player na alam mong makakatulong, okay din naman di ba? In a way, at least, makikita mo na may tiwala sila sa program na pwede nila puntahan,” he added.
In recent history, players like CJ Cansino (from UST), Francis Lopez (from Ateneo), and Ricci Rivero (from La Salle) were also high-profile transfers that contributed greatly to UP’s success.
Regardless of the noise, Monteverde keeps himself and the UP program focused on the players.
At the end of the day, what the players need to develop their game and for their life outside the UAAP is what matters.
“Syempre, yung maririnig mo, hindi mo naman mapapasaya rin lahat,” Monteverde said.
“Basta importante naman, whatever it is, yung goal mo for the kid and for the program nandoon. I think yun naman ang importante,” he said.
Carl Tamayo and JD Cagulangan have gone on to succeed overseas after playing for Monteverde
Up, up, and away!
A testament to Monteverde’s UP program are the players that have gone on to achieve more in their professional and national team careers.
JD Cagulangan headed to South Korea just a month after winning UAAP Season 87 Finals MVP, and was later named KBL Rookie of the Year.
Still from last season’s title team, Francis Lopez has joined the consistent Filipino group serving as Asian Quota Players in Japan’s B.LEAGUE, while one-and-done star Quentin Millora-Brown found a home with the Macau Black Bears and is a major prospect for Gilas Pilipinas.
Carl Tamayo, perhaps coach Monteverde best project dating back to high school, left after two successful UAAP seasons.
Tamayo’s winning pedigree followed him abroad, immediately joining the Ryukyu Golden Kings to capture the B.LEAGUE title, before finding a more prominent role with the Changwon LG Sakers, who won last season’s KBL crown.
For Monteverde, it is a good indicator that what they have in UP gives the players the chance to blossom and grow into better opportunities.
“In a way, living testament sa whatever hard work you put forth sa ginagawa namin every day,” he said.
“Being a player, it comes with masarap maglaro. But another way, pag titignan mo, yung every day na ginagawa nila, kung nakikita mo talaga yung how they work, how they prepare, nakakabilib din in a way na paano sila mag-prepare.”
Regardless, Monteverde isn’t in it just for the titles and trophies — or whatever his players achieve when they exit his program.
Rather, the UP coach is eager to see himself, and his players, serve as beacons of inspiration for what hard work can do.
“You know, to a certain player… itong ginagawa nila every day, it would be an inspiration also for the other players coming in na basta mag-tyaga at masipag ka lang, may pupuntahan ka rin maganda,” Monteverde said.
—
Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.