Ateneo head coach Norman Black believes that the team’s chemistry will be their biggest weapon when they open their title-retention bid in the UAAP basketball tournament which fires off on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

"For us to be successful again, we have to communicate as one and do well not only in practice but also on the basketball court," Black said.

With an almost intact line up, Black exudes supreme confidence of doing well again this season.

The Eagles, however, will be without star guard Chris Tiu who has already completed his playing years in the league.

But Black stressed that there will no major changes in their game plan.

“We're focusing more on the things that made us win last year's championship and hopefully we can do it again," Black said.

The Loyola-based dribblers had a hectic preseason preparation.

Aside from competing in two pre-season tournaments, they also trained in the United States and Canada while participating in an invitational meet in Cebu City against local teams there.

With Tiu gone, the leadership mantle will be entrusted to Rabeh Al-Hussaini. He will be backed up by finals MVP Nonoy Baclao and guard Jai Reyes.

The 6-foot-6 Al-Hussaini had his breakthrough campaign last season when he averaged 18 points and almost 10 rebounds a game to bag the coveted MVP plum while Baclao intimidated the Archers' frontline led by Rico Maierhofer to be adjudged as the best player of that championship series.

Aside from Rookie of the Year Ryan Buenafe and lefty guard Eric Salamat, Ateneo beefed up its roster by acquiring Frank Golla, Chris de Chavez, and Juami Tiongson, a member of last year’s Eaglets squad that won the UAAP juniors title.