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Derrick Pumaren replaces Boycie Zamar as UE Red Warriors head coach

Derrick Pumaren replaces Boycie Zamar as UE Red Warriors head coach

Sticking to its principle of tapping a homegrown head coach, University of the East selected former Red Warrior Derrick Pumaren to call the shots for its men's basketball team in lieu of the sacked Boycie Zamar.

A member of UE's back-to-back championship teams in 1978 and 1979 in the UAAP men's cage wars, Pumaren has already hit the ground running Thursday by conducting the Red Warriors practice at the Tanduay gym in Manila along with his younger brother Dindo who will serve as his first assistant coach.

Derrick Pumaren's appointment ended nearly two weeks of guessing game since Red Warriors team management gave Zamar and his coaching staff the pink slip last March 28.

Yahoo Philippines previously reported former Letran coach Louie Alas had the inside track for the job and even "agreed in principle" to handle the Red Warriors after sitting down with Michael Tan, a son of business tycoon and top UE backer Lucio Tan.

However, a group of "academicians" argued Alas has a concurrent position as an assitant coach to the Alaska Aces in the pro league, something that runs against the school's stand of tapping "someone who will handle the team on full time."

That somehow paved the way for the entry of Pumaren, a former national team coach who also had several coaching forays in the pro league, the last with Talk 'N Text in 2008.

He also handled the De La Salle Green Archers from the late 80s to early 90s and even served as consultant for different clubs in local and foreign scene.

With close to three months left before UE hosts UAAP Season 77, Pumaren is racing against time to instill his system to a squad led by guard Roi Sumang and hulking African import Charles Mammie.