San Beda University’s Red Cubs basketball program is still on track despite a recent exodus of key players and the overhaul of the team’s coaching staff last October.
New head coach Miko Roldan made sure of this, as seen in their first game, where they defeated the Lyceum of the Philippines Junior Pirates 94-74. Roldan admitted that the transition was tough, especially in the first month, but the team is slowly coming together.
“Nung una transition wise medyo mahirap. one and a half month pa lang kaming nagpapractice, so new system nga sinabi,” he said.
“Talagang struggle. Ngayon, unti-unti nabubuo na kami nakukuha na namin yung peak namin pero malayo pa kami. Hindi pa to basehan sa kung san namin gusto kami.”
Former Red Cubs team manager Jarvis Co went on social media to share his dismay after Manu Inigo and his staff were relieved from their coaching positions, along with losing key players Vhoriss Marasigan, Mowell Morales, and James Nacua. Inigo had been coaching the Red Cubs since 2019, leading the team to a championship in his first year.
Roldan feels the pressure of coaching the Red Cubs, a team with a history of titles. He and his coaching staff know that they have no excuses and the community expects them to win. They are doing their best to mold the players into a winning team.
“Well yun yung pressure na meron saming coaching staff kasi wala kaming excuses eh. Kahit anong sabihin, ang community gusto parati panalo,” said the product of Far Eastern University.
“So kami, as much as possible, we do our job to mold the kids kung pano sila maglalaro together, pano mananalo every game.”
San Beda will face its archrival, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, in a big game this Friday.
Letran is one of the early favorites to win the championship this season, making this tilt a litmus test of where the program is. The game promises to be a physical and entertaining match, with both teams determined not to lose.
“Well, expect it to be a good game, a physical game. Walang magpapatalo diyan. Kami rin hindi kami magpapatalo. Maraming mae-entertain sa game na yan definitely.”
