Lawrence Chongson's Got PEx

As pointed out by the local sports blog Fire Quinito and alluded to by myself on Twitter, former UE Red Warriors coach Lawrence Chongson has taken to posting at the UE Red Warriors III thread over at the Pinoy Exchange UAAP forums, and the result has been quite enlightening.

Fire Quinito has already gone and highlighted the passages involving Chongson's dismissal, the shrinking role of Bong Tan in Red Warriors management, and Paul Lee's non-inclusion in Team Gilas, but there's other juicy bits in there including:

• Chongson downplaying Rene Baena's role in the upswing of UE's fortunes in Round 2 last season
• Saying that he preferred Ponso Gotladera over Chris Javier
• A list of recruits that he had in the pipeline from abroad
• Roi Sumang's academic saga
• UE letting go of some of his recruits and him bringing them over to NU, including Henri Betayene
• Squelching the possibility of Paul Lee returning to UE to play
• My personal favorite, the chance that he could have been FEU's head coach for S74

S73 Autopsy: UE Red Warriors

Outgoing Players
- Paul Lee (14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2 steals)
- Ezer Rosopa (3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks)
- James Martinez (12.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 steals)
- Raphy Reyes (7.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.5 steals)
- Garrick Ayala, dropped from the team (2 points, 3 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks)
- Sam Razon, possibly out for the season to rehab from his ACL injury though he is back with the team (2.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 blocks)

Win/Loss Records
- Season 73: 6-8 (6th)
- Season 72: 10-4 (3rd, lost in the Finals to Ateneo De Manila University)
- Season 71: 9-5 (4th, lost in the Final Four to Ateneo De Manila University)

Key Stats
- Last in the league in opponents' total rebounds allowed (44/game), offensive rebounds allowed (15.43/game) and opponents' defensive rebounds allowed (28.57/game)

Codinera Confirms Lee's Exit

Newly-installed UE head coach Jerry Codinera confirmed the rumors that had been circulating since his hiring: his Red Warriors team will be playing Season 74 without superstar Paul Lee.

Lee averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists last season. Pic source here

As seen in articles in the Philippine Star and GMA News Sports, Codinera said that Lee left the squad without giving any particular reason, although some have Lee angling for a spot on the Smart Gilas team.

Lee's departure have the Warriors going into partial rebuild mode, as along with Lee, a handful of other players will no longer be playing as well.

Also graduating are spitfires Raffy Reyes and James Martinez, together with one and done big man Ezer Rosopa, who hit the UAAP's age limit. Furthermore, seldom-seen forward Garrick Ayala has been asked to leave as well, with the team citing multiple disciplinary infractions as the result.

Doubtful to play next season are big man San Razon, who suffered an ACL-injury, and another big man, Ivan Hernandez, due to an undisclosed injury.

The Warriors will instead rely heavily next year on Mythical Five member Kenneth Acibar, and first-year guard Roy Sumang, former Letran Squire.