Coach Jude Roque and the staff of the San Beda University Red Lions have always had a good eye for finding talent abroad.
Who could ever forget the Semerad Twins and Davon Potts? They were pivotal in the Red Lions’ decade of dominance in the collegiate ranks.
Last year was no different as Roque was able to get the commitment of Filipino-Canadian James Kwekuteye.
The 6-foot-1 guard, who is part of the Crossover Canada contingent that played in the NBTC, has received high praise from none other than coach Eric Altamirano. Altamirano has gone on record to say that Kwekuteye is as smooth as Bobby Ray Parks, Jr.
But Kwekuteye has yet to show it in the on-going NCAA Season 94 Seniors Basketball Tournament.
Prior to San Beda’s game against the Mapua Cardinals last Friday, the Red Lion – who hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada – attempted just 15 shots. Against the Cardinals, he shot the ball 12 times, knocking down just three for nine points.
“James [Kwekuteye] took so many shots but he missed,” lamented Red Lions head coach Boyet Fernandez after San Beda’s 88-70 win. “But come to think of it, if he made that shots, I think yung 18 na lamang namin magiging 20 or 22 eh.”
Still, San Beda’s big three of Javee Mocon, Donald Tankoua, and Robert Bolick delivered.
Fernandez still remains confident that Kwekuteye will find a way to adjust to his seniors as the season progresses.
“He’s just adjusting eh. You know James can shoot the shot. We saw him play in the Filoil. He can make those shots against Gilas,” recalled Fernandez, as Kwekuteye finished that contest with a game-high 16 points.
“I think it’s a matter of James being confident making those shots. He has to really have the conviction na every time he takes that shot, he will make it.”
Being just 19 years young, Fernandez sees him and Evan Nelle as the future kings of the Red Lions dynasty.
“Bata pa but he is the future of San Beda,” the head coach declared.
“So we’ll be patient with him. Again, I have veteran players like Robert, Javee, and Donald that will really help him improve and hopefully when these guys will graduate it will be the time of James.”
