After a disappointing run last season, Emilio Aguinaldo College has transformed into a surprising contender in the first round of the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament.
With head coach Jerson Cabiltes at the helm, the Generals have already matched their win total from Season 98 in just five games of the new season. They find themselves tied for the fourth spot in the standings with a 3-2 record, alongside perennial powerhouse San Beda University.
They started the season with a convincing 75-67 victory over dark horse contender University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, followed by a double-digit win over three-time defending champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 75-65.
On Wednesday, the Generals achieved something no other NCAA team had managed in Season 99 so far.
EAC defeated Lyceum of the Philippines University in overtime, 83-76, ending Lyceum’s six-game win streak and marking their first loss of the season.
Despite EAC’s impressive feat, Cabiltes dismissed the notion of tarnishing Lyceum’s undefeated record and simply considered it as any other game. For Cabiltes, only one record matters.
“I’m not here to break any record of them.
“The winning streak or anything, losing streak para sa Letran or losing streak para sa amin. Isa lang yung streak na tinitingnan ko, and that’s making it to the Final Four. We will work hard in order to get there,” Cabiltes explained as EAC has yet to make it to the Final Four since joining the Grand Old League in 2009.
The first-year NCAA head coach added that their win over Lyceum was no less special than any other victory because he and his Generals squad treat every team as a contender this season.
“All teams are contenders.
“Arellano dumikit doon sa Lyceum, JRU natalo nga sa Baste, so lahat naman yan, lahat contender. Wala naman masyadong nagbago sa EAC, its just we’re playing harder and we’re being more aggressive. Good thing sumusunod naman yung mga players to my instructions,” shared Cabiltes, the defending MPBL champion coach with Nueva Ecija.
Cabiltes and the rest of EAC now turn their attention to San Sebastian College-Recoletos next. The game is on Sunday.
