If there is an advantage the Colegio de San Juan de Letran has over College of St. Benilde in the NCAA Season 98 Finals, it is championship experience.
Well, that is according to none other than Knights head coach Bonnie Tan.
“Before the start of the series naman, pag may nagtatanong na kung ano advantage namin sa CSB, it’s more on the advantage lang din siguro na playing [in] the championship,” said Letran’s head tactician.
The Knights are the second-winningest team in the Grand Old League with 19 while currently on their quest for three-peat.
The Blazers, on the other hand, hasn’t been in the Finals since Season 78 which dated all the way back to 2002.
But despite that, Tan remained firm with his claim that they are the underdogs since they are behind the Blazers in the standings after 18 games of elimination.
“At the start of the series pano ba naman magiging dehado yung number one sa number two?” he said.
“Pangalawa kung defending champion kami last season, last season yon. E ngayon iba naman so siguro ngayon we have the advantage ngayon,” he continued as Letran lost season MVP Rhenz Abando and Finals MVP Jeo Ambohot due to graduation.
“Di naman sa pagaano pero one step na kami ahead. So siguro kami na llamado ngayon next game going into next week na game.”
The two-time NCAA champion coach also gave credit to his off-the-bench guys Kurt Reyson and King Caralipio who has been a reliable option all-game-long.
This after both Fran Yu and Brent Paraiso struggled with a combined 3-of-20 from the field.
“King and Reyson is part of the back-to-back champion namin and we consider them a veteran player na. Hindi lang sa ano, but veterans sa mga championship series. So expect naman namin na saluhan. Pag may malas may mag-step up,” said Tan.
Reyson was able to hit big shots as he finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists; while Caralipio has been reliable with 16 markers on 7-for-11 shooting.
Now that they are only a win away in getting the title, Tan is determined to get the three-peat for the Knights.
“We just handle our own business dito, kung ano yung pwede nating ideliver para sa Letran.”
