Derrick Pumaren tapped as La Salle coach

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Another year, another coaching change for the La Salle Green Archers.

After failing to make it to the UAAP Final Four for the second straight season, the Green Archers are set for another retooling year by tapping Centro Escolar University head coach Derrick Pumaren to take the helm. Pumaren is the third head coach to man La Salle’s frontlines since Aldin Ayo led the team to a championship in 2016 and a runner-up finish the year after. Derrick is also the third Pumaren to take over the reins for the multi-titled basketball program in the last two decades. Franz, the current Adamson head coach, led La Salle to 4 straights championships from 1998 to 2001 and delivered a fifth one in 2007, before younger brother Dindo had a brief stint in 2011. Last season, the Archers had a one-and-done experiment with Filipino-foreigners Jamie Malonzo, Keyshawn Meeker and James Laput. With team consultant Jermaine Byrd and coach Gian Nazario, the team still finished with a 7-7 record for 5th place, a failure by the program’s standards But the Green Archers hope to return to their winning ways with the elder Pumaren, who steered the Green Archers to back-to-back UAAP championships in 1989 and 1990. “Manong” Derrick had been busy in his time away from the UAAP since his last stint at the University of the East in 2017. He led the CEU Scorpions to the 2019 NCRAA championship and an unlikely finals appearance in the 2019 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.