FOLLOWING FOUR SEASONS out of action, the San Beda Red Lions are finally back in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Finals, this time against the Mapua Cardinals in the league’s 99th Season. Ahead of their first game this Wednesday, December 6, Coach Yuri Escueta and the rest of the Mendiola-based squad bared their preparations for the hotly-anticipated match in an exclusive interview with The Bedan.
The Red Lions were out for blood after losing four games in round two of the elimination round this season. They made the twice-to-beat advantage of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Pirates as their stepping stone to be back in the league’s finals.
Coach Yuri says that he is “very proud of how the team responded, and grew as the season progressed.” However, he reiterated that “the job isn’t done” yet.
The master tactician also shared that how the team played this season is not solely the system that he imprinted on them, but it’s all about “San Beda Basketball… they learn already ‘yung system that they’re trying to play. So again, sabi ko nga, [at] the start of the playoffs, this year I’m more confident in terms of coming to the playoffs. Because of the way… we prepared, na ngayon alam nila how to run the system properly, unlike last year na we had only two months.”
Yukien Andrada, who has been getting his minutes this season, commended their head coach not only because of his skills, but also because of how he was able to communicate with the rest of the squad, which he says contributed a lot to the “synergy of the whole team” especially inside the court.
“Big congrats to Coach Yuri. Grabe, magaling talaga si Coach Yuri kasi, especially with the players, marunong siya talagang makipag-usap sa players, relationship niya sa players and you can really tell na yung system niya is… booming right now kasi… kasi nga maganda ‘yung communication niya sa players niya so madali siyang mapasunod yung players niya sa gusto niyang gawin and… grabe rin talaga yung binibigay niya na confidence sa lahat ng players dito sa amin,” said Andrada.
For his part team captain Peter Alfaro says that their focus right now is not the previous games, but on the match this Wednesday. “‘Yun yung laging nire-remind sa’min ni Coach Yuri na we have to take it one game at a time lang. Not sa past but ‘yung nangyari sa present.”
Clashing once more against the top-seeded Mapua Cardinals, the Red Lions acknowledge that the Intramuros-based squade is a “defensive team” who will surely not back down.
Jacob Cortez, who has endeared himself to the Bedan community as “The Cool Cub”—which is a play on his father Mike Cortez’ own nickname, “The Cool Cat”— acknowledges that just like the Game Two of the semi-finals against the LPU Pirates, the Cardinals will surely try to stop him from making his baskets.
However, the young point guard said that he will just “do his job” and “involve [his] teammates more.” He added that “Ayan ‘yung nangyari n’ung game two [against LPU]. That’s when Nygel [Gonzales], you can see Jomel [Puno], that’s when they all step up and eventually that’s when the Mapua defense will… have to focus on me more so that’s when I’ll [do my play].”
That being said, the Red Lions are very much “ready” to face the Cardinals in the best-of-three finals series of the country’s oldest collegiate league. However, Alfaro says that he always reminds his teammates to “stick to the system” and to go “all-out” in order to bring back the championship to Mendiola.
The Cool Cub also asked Bedans to support the squad this December 6, 2 p.m., at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. “Nasa finals na tayo, [so] I expect everyone to come out. Its been a while since we won a championship and now we have a chance again, so ‘yun lang, Go San Beda Fight!”