San Beda Red Lions head coach Jamike Jarin does not want to believe in any advantage on paper heading into the Mendiola side’s clash with the Letran Knights in the NCAA Season 91 finals starting on Friday.
“Coming into the championship it is anybody’s game. I don’t see anybody as an underdog. Of course they will say they are the underdog but I want to say we are also an underdog,” Jarin said after the Red Lions defeated the JRU Heavy Bombers Tuesday.
“Letran, we have been chasing them the entire season. They were the first to make the finals so we were still chasing them. It will be interesting. Coach Aldin (Ayo) has proven his worth that he can lead a team to a championship.”
The Red Lions and Knights split their first two games in the elimination round while San Beda won the playoff for first seed last week.
Jarin added while observers see Letran having trouble with championship experience, he believes it is already an even field when they face each other in the best-of-three finals.
“Anybody going to the championship will say they don’t have experience but it has been a long season. Yung experience, andun na yon. Mark Cruz of course, Kevin Racal, Rey Nambatac, they’ve gone to the championship. They know how it feels,” Jarin shared.
Overall, Jarin says a competitive series which can go either way.
“It will be very interesting. Whoever brings the energy will have a good chance. It is going to be a very very tough series.”
