The Best Fit for Alex Konov in the UAAP

Some big news came our way courtesy of Naveen Ganglani!
Alex Konov, a former player for Batang Gilas, has mentioned that he is open to playing college basketball in the Philippines. The current favorites are Ateneo, UP, La Salle, and FEU.
Who is Alex Konov? Where should he go? The Boleros answer that and more in this episode.

[@JoseydGonzaless]

Jayden Jones, Pre, Felipe, Anonuevo and Konov can be a deadly forward rotation 😮‍💨

[@pesiganfrancisluisd.1461]

FEU sana, FEU has great guards and wings but the depth on the bigs is a question. Konov will be a big asset.

[@bolerosph]

Agree!

[@MangDolorian]

Hope that AK was able to watch UST's game vs UP & DLSU and realise it is the perfect fit for him if he wants playing time in a team that also has potential to fight to the top..c'mon daddy long hair..i know you can still work wonders for the gold and black!!😅

[@johnjosephflorendo6744]

I hope and pray UST gets Konov. Please good Lord, grant us Alex Konov!

[@xinzepol67]

I'm with Gab. I hope Konov watch this if he plays in UAAP. UST is the perfect for Konov. If wants playing time, Konov will surely have it in UST. As per Zain's interview with Navs, the bald tradition is over in UST. Because UST is dead serious to get a championship.

[@bolerosph]

Awww i love team kalbo hahahaha (coz i am also kalbo lol) - Gab

[@phase250million]

I agree with most of what you guys said. UST, FEU, and UE are the best choices. If UP and La Salle aggressively recruit him, that will be more of a power play or bullying tactic, more of a "we'll get him so no one else gets him" kinda move. My argument for him going to Ateneo is this, Ateneo needs more front court TALENT, not merely SIZE. I don't believe there are a lot of 6'8-6'9 bruisers left to be recruited, so why not try to recruit someone with some size, a definite skill set (shooting), and star potential. I'm hearing that cutting into Mason's minutes may be a concern, redundancy position-wise and skill-wise. These points are legitimate. But you can never have enough talent. Why not discuss cutting into Josh Lazaro's minutes? Why not talk about taking over some of Chris Koon's offesive responsibilities when he's not on go mode, which happens more times than we'd prefer? I know that Konov will not be the overwhelming solution to Ateneo's issues, but I don't believe there's anyone out there who is anyway. Why not grab a potential contributor who may have more talent and potential than what they already have? Still a good convo to have. Nice work guys, as usual. ❤

[@bolerosph]

Valid points naman lahat. Although the "you can never have too much talent" argument is exactly how DLSU and UP rationalize their aggressive recruitment haha I can definitely see him cutting into Josh Lazaro or Chris Koon's minutes/role. He can definitely carve out a role but also at the expense of others waiting in the wings. Bongo, Tuano, Edu, Porter, Jordi GDL, etc all play similar positions

[@rcd2005]

If you know how the triangle works. FEU. Konov will be CSC’s version of Joe Devance.

[@bolerosph]

Agree! Good comparison!

[@BoredO]

The argument for Konov to ADMU despite the overlap with Amos is the budding UAAP exodus to foreign professional leagues. If Amos breaks out next year and becomes a Mythical 5/MVP candidate, it all of a sudden becomes very real that he might leave like Kai, JB, and SJ before him. Konov can spend a year off the bench and play spot minutes at the 4 (like Amos last year) and then take over the starting spot the following season should Mason decide to turn pro.

[@bolerosph]

A valid argument. My counter is that it relies on a lot of ifs: if he's willing to ride the bench for a year, if Mason has a breakout season, if Mason leaves, etc etc

[@BoredO]

Fair points as well. But personally, I think it's naive to assume Amos stays all 5 years (as much as I would want him to!) breakout year or not, I'd be surprised if he stays longer than 3 years.

[@bolerosph]

Same here. We've always been supportive of players who cash in early on their basketball careers

[@joker-kw2ek]

UST, and hope Sauler will handle more of coaching and let pido downgrade to consultant ✌🏻 him and zain will be good combination

[@bolerosph]

Tbf, coach pido is letting his assistants do more of the coaching during the games already so maybe he's transitioning to the role unofficially haha

[@joker-kw2ek]

@@bolerosph pansin ku din yun nung laban nila sa UP. If napasok lang nila mga free throws sure win ang Uste againts sa UP that game.

[@bolerosph]

Tama! At kung hindi nag turnover si Estacio nung fastbreak haha. Nagigil eh

[@joker-kw2ek]

1. Forthsky 2. Estacio/Cabañero 3. Konov 4. Zain 5. FSA Palag na UST. 😂

[@Kirie01]

I think ok siya sa FEU or Ateneo (kung gusto niya mapilitan to work on his defense/rebounding since Amos is already the offensive forward in Ateneo hahaha). Pero FEU seriously. As of now, kay VJ Pre pa lang ako may pag-asa among the FEU bigs. Idk if matino new FSA nila, ka-trauma si Faty lol. And I don’t have hopes for FEU’s holdover bigs (Ona and Bagunu). Agree with Maui haha, willing ba magpakalbo si Konov if mag UST siya. I know di sila kalbo now, but the hair changes doon mga schools that implement, that happens near or during the UAAP season. And since Konov will be coming in late compared to his teammates and rookie siya, will Coach Pido even give him significant minutes? Also, I’ve also always thought of UST as a really old school institution - I’ve got friends and high school batchmates na UST alum and almost all of them do not like the admin/student council (to be fair, we’re not sure if acads/school admin is even a priority for Konov). Saving grace talaga ng UST yung mismong community of students nila, amazing crowd of people! But if ever he wants to come in sa UAAP S87, saang team kaya siya makaka-integrate agad, considering the basketball system and culture of the teams (culture inside and outside the court)?

[@bolerosph]

Great point sa UST culture. Di rin tayo sure nga kung permanent itong non Team Kalbo. Regarding the minutes, i think it won't be much of a problem. The "back-up" to Manaytay is Crisostomo (although Crisostomo starts) and I think Konov can easily overtake him in the rotation. The other back-up big is Echo Laure... And I think that speaks for itself hahaha

[@bolerosph]

Oh and Konateh (FEU's FSA) looks decent btw hehe

[@joker-kw2ek]

By the way guys, see UST 2 games againts La Salle and UP. Happy to see na pumapalag na kahit papaano. Hope mg karoo kayo ng content about them. UST fans here since coach Aric del rosario. And all kapampangan playing in uaap.

[@bolerosph]

Abangan ang episode mamaya 😏😏😏

[@rolandou.quirimit2424]

Ask ko lng sana mga Sirs bakit hindi na ADMU VS UE instead UE VS UP ang schedule ngayon May 24 3pm game?

[@bolerosph]

Scheduled to next week na yun. Today it's Ateneo vs Adamson at 5pm

[@rolandou.quirimit2424]

@@bolerosph thank you po.

[@katabwa2172]

Ateneo fan here, but with how disappointingly slow Ateneo gels/integrates new players in the past two (pre) seasons, he may be wasting a year in Katipunan if he decides to go there. 🥲 I agree with the UST choice. Did you see them go toe to toe with UP? A new look team going up against UP?

[@bolerosph]

Yes! Watch our next episode! We talked a lot about UST hehe

[@olaboys]

Starting to like ust. Wala pa Pala fil ams nila. One rim protecting fsa away

[@katabwa2172]

​@@bolerosph yes I'm really excited to watch them come S87

[@katabwa2172]

​@@olaboys oo, young team but they are clicking 🔥🔥

[@olaboys]

UP should embrace the villain tag, kunin na yan. Hahahaha

[@bolerosph]

Given their recruiting strategy in the last few years and his relationship with Jacob Bayla, this would not be a surprise

[@edroref3276]

I think Amos can’t play 40 minutes. Ateneo desperately needs frontliners and backup knockdown shooters. They also have a weak rotation. Ateneo is a school can continue to develop him and as already mentioned alex can help the team.

[@bolerosph]

We don't mean to say that Mason should play 40 minutes and that's why Konov shouldn't go there. It's that Konov could cut into Mason's current minutes and even overtake Mason if he plays better since they have similar skill sets. I don't think Mason or Ateneo fans would want that

[@bolerosph]

Also, as shown in this preseason, Porter is ready for the seniors division and is a very capable back-up to Mason and a capable knockdown shooter. He can even play next to Mason

[@oldaccount1194]

HIM AND KQ WILL TOO BROKEN FOR UAAP TO HANDLE! Meron pa double threats in Mike and Henry Poli pa That’s hella big athelic line up 😂 He will def get mins over Abadam etc etc he is just that good DLSU needs shootings! Same with UP JD and Him will be raining UP 3 balls Ateneo will be shooter team finally again Amos and this guy = raining 3 Feu is the one I’m not sure

[@bolerosph]

Actually, mas sure kami sa FEU than the other three teams you mentioned haha. Daming competition for playing time dun sa iba

[@user-xl8vf5sg8n]

go to DLSU for that winning mentality...do not go to UP ....University of Pogo (money) 😂

[@tams0902]

hindi namen kailangan si konov. (Sarcasm)..haha. may Ona at Bagunu kame na matitigas ang katawan, magaling mag box out, hindi takot tumira at hindi nabibitawan ang bola..nalungkot nga kame graduate na si Tempra. yung ang Big 3 namen. hahaha. (sarcasm)..... well bahala na si coach sean kay konov.... naabutan ko si Gerard Jones sa FEU... hehehe

[@JoseydGonzaless]

classic ona and bagunu. the turnover duo hahaha 🔥

[@bolerosph]

Hahahahha i love this comment! And yes! Nagulat ako sa Gerard Jones reference ni Maui hahahaha - Gab

[@bolerosph]

But seriously, wala talagang frontcourt depth ang FEU huhu. Sakit panoorin ni Ona at Bagunu