A little over a quarter into UAAP Season 87, the FEU Tamaraws have the unfortunate distinction of being the only winless team left in the field. 

The Tamaraws were playing from behind the entire time and at one point, were staring at a 25-point deficit. Talent was heavily tilted to the UP Fighting Maroons’ side as FEU was outrebounded (48-43) and turned the ball over more than their opponents (17-15). 

Being 0-4 is technically not a death sentence in the UAAP, but the Tamaraws’ losses seem to have gotten worse. After losing their Season 87 opener to the Adamson Soaring Falcons by 12 points, FEU allowed the NU Bulldogs to slip past them and dropped a winnable game against the UE Red Warriors before suffering a blowout loss to the Fighting Maroons. It also doesn’t help that the Tamaraws’ remaining games in the first round are against the defending champions DLSU Green Archers, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and the UST Growling Tigers. 

It may take a miracle for FEU to make a big run to the Final Four, but the Tamaraws can still earn some wins that can build the foundation for their campaign next season. FEU will likely have its core of young players return in Season 88 so they will come in a more seasoned group. 

The Tamaraws never seem to run out of talented perimeter players with the latest duo being Jorick Bautista and Veejay Pre. They’ve been able to produce thus far, with Bautista leading the team with per-game averages of 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 steals. Meanwhile, Pre is making a solid case for Rookie of the Year with 11.5 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and 1.5 assists per game. Not only is he making a good impression early on, but Pre has also shown that he can step up when called upon despite this being his first year in the seniors division. 

It’s been harder, though, to get consistent results from those around them. Royce Alforque and Janrey Pasaol need to get going, while Mohammed Konateh will need to throw his weight around especially when a win is within reach. 

The early season slump is also not lost on FEU’s coaching staff, led by PBA great Sean Chambers. Establishing a system is definitely not easy, but clearly the innovations are not working at the moment. Sometimes, it may be better to keep things simple, because ticking off smaller milestones off the list may eventually lead to the ones that will generate victories. 

With UAAP Season 87 looking like a lost cause in the short term, the FEU Tamaraws might as well begin their preparations for Season 88. The Tamaraws’ ability to churn out talent remains one of their strong suits, and that should work to their advantage, so long as they can blend that talent together game-by-game.