The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) opened their 89th season, and observers note that the UP Fighting Maroons are the team to beat.  This was quite a surprise since the State University lost their “Maroon Five” backcourt. The UP management had prepared for this, some might say “overprepared.” They have recruited multiple players in the pipeline for almost every position, including talented guards who have taken the backseat in favor of the senior backcourt players.  However, before discussing their title chances, we must address one major critique:  Did UP commit overkill?  There are some pundits, and even UP Maroon fans who mention that the barrage of Maroon talented recruits have led to other drawbacks, namely, the lack of chemistry, distribution of playing time, and overall development of players.  Clogged Talent Pipeline It sounds ironic, since it is a philosophy for college basketball to stack on talent due to the quick turnover rate. That makes perfect sense in the era of one-and-dones, but that is in the United States. The most prospected talents promptly leave for the NBA once they qualify, and that is at the young age of 19 years old, or one year removed from high school graduation. In the local scene, it is rare for any college player to leave a highly-touted college before using up their eligibility. Most players who do leave early pursue opportunities as Asian imports abroad, foremost of which are actually Fighting Maroons: Carl Tamayo and Francis Lopez. Other examples are Dwight Ramos, who did not even attend his recruiting school (Ateneo).  There are multiple factors, foremost of which is PBA’s outdated rookie-salary cap. It is believed that blue chip student-athletes receive high allowances and privileges, beyond what the PBA cap dictates. The other major factor is freedom of choice. Players get to choose their university, but they do not control who will draft them in the pros.  Since most players use their full eligibility, the proverbial pipeline gets clogged. Schools who can recruit (or poach, as some quarters allege) end up with an overflow of talent.  Drawbacks Many would argue that there is no such thing as too much talent. However, for a finite number of opportunities, some would end up neglected. This is a real issue for the Fighting Maroons. Players like Aldous Torculas and RC Calimag have prospered in the NCAA, showing their talent.  Top recruits like Luis Pablo and Seven Gagate returned to La Salle, and Pablo has vastly improved after playing behind Gani Stevens and Sean Alter in UP. These players started a year apart, and if Pablo needed to wait for these two to graduate, he would not be a revelation. Players who did stay may have lost confidence. Chicco Briones and Jacob Bayla were highly recruited by multiple schools. They still have two years of eligibility, but have yet to fulfill the lofty expectations. They waited on the Maroon Five, but now they play behind Rey Remogat and James Payosing–two transferees.  Will this discourage future blue-chip recruits from choosing UP? While State U can now match the economy of rival schools, other players may prioritize exposure as part of a long-term plan to be noticed overseas. The UAAP games are accessible online, and it would hardly matter which school they attend–they will be scouted as long as they are in the premier collegiate league.  Rookies Vs Transferees The Fighting Maroons showed their wares with two impressive games against UST and Ateneo. However, they faltered against NU–a team with a tight veteran rotation which resulted in better chemistry.  Bulldogs rookies like DJ Laconsay and Macmac Alfanta had confidence and contributed well, while UP relied on transferees. Remogat is a mythical five member, and Veejay Pre was rookie of the year. While the latter two are finished products, they do have limited tenures. They are also blended with other new recruits, and sometimes, the rotation of the Maroons is all over the place.  Will talent overflow alone be enough to win the title? They can only field five players at a time, so depth could end up overrated. The Maroons are still vulnerable, unless they get more cohesive.