For Mapua University, its first win of NCAA Season 98 against San Beda University demonstrated how its unique pre-season preparations are finally paying dividends.
Coming into the campaign, coach Randy Alcantara decided to split his wards. Half of his team went 0-8 in the 2022 FilOil EcoOil PreSeason Cup, while another half became the core that helped power Marinerong Pilipino to the finals of the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.
All of these experiences – good or bad – have hardened coach Randy Alcantara’s players as they look to go one better this time around.
“Kaya hinihiwalay-hiwalay namin sila sa mga liga na ‘yun para, number one, bumalik ‘yung kumpyansa nila,” shared two-time NCAA Juniors champion mentor.
“Siyempre, nakita naman natin last season talagang ‘yung dulo talaga, sila pa rin ‘yung dulo hanggang finals. So ngayon talagang binigyan ng kumpyansa ‘yung mga second and third stringer namin.”
The PBA D-League finals loss to EcoOil-DLSU, in particular, still stings for the Cardinals.
(C) PBA Images
Despite winning game one, the Cardinals-backed Marinerong Pilipino suffered two straight losses in the finals series as coach Derrick Pumaren’s Green Archers limited them to an average of just 70.5 points in the last two games.
One learns when losing but bouncing back strongly is an obligation.
The Cardinals demonstrated what they learned in the off-season by limiting the Red Lions to just 35 percent from the field while the former’s bench players contributed 36 points against the latter’s 21 points.
“Yung nga maganda sa team na ‘to e. Sabi ko nga mas confident ako dito sa line-up na to kasi kahit nga hanggang third-stringer pwede. Kasi after nung finals na natalo kami don, nasaktan naman lahat so lahat talaga gustong magpakita especially on defense,” said Alcantara.
“So yung points talaga dumating sa kanila e, so yung ang number one namin dumepensa, sumunod na lang yung offense nila. Kaya siguro ganun na lang kadali para maka-shoot sila.”
In the NCAA landscape, a win over San Beda is always an impressive feat.
A lot of Alcantara’s peers in the league opined that the Cardinals are the favorites to go all the way and the opening-day win over the Red Lions further adds credibility to this.
However, the one-time MPBL champion coach wants his players to take it one game at a time especially since this isn’t a pre-season tournament where learning is the goal.
“Ayaw namin ilagay sa ulo namin especially sa mga players na contender kami kase mahirap yon eh,” said Alcantara.
“Baka hindi kami magtrabaho and yung mga players so mahirap yung sabi lang kaya dapat pakita namin.”
