By: Bjorn Del Deade
Bryan Sajonia was expected to be one of the key scorers for defending champion San Beda when he moved to the NCAA, and he didn’t disappoint in his debut.
Sajonia led San Beda with 18 points, propelling the team to a 79-63 victory over Lyceum in their NCAA Season 100 opener.
However, the former FEU Tamaraw proved he brings more to the table than just scoring.
His defense shined against the Pirates, who were limited to just six three-pointers on 31 attempts (19.4 percent).
While the stat sheet didn’t reflect his defensive impact – Sajonia didn’t register any steals or blocks – head coach Yuri Escueta emphasized that his “tenacious defense” was pivotal to San Beda’s success.
“Well, kaya naman namin siya kinuha dito, dahil sa what he can do. Knowing Bryan, whatever he can do – rebound man ‘yan, assist man ‘yan, score man ‘yan – gagawin niya eh,” Escueta said of the two-way player.
He went on, “Pero ang nakita naming biggest strength sa kanya is ‘yung defense niya. I think he did a good job defensively against LPU’s shooters.
“Kahit sinong gustong maglaro sa ‘min, magiging fit naman ‘yon. So trabaho na naming coaches i-fit ‘yon. Pero madali naman i-fit si Bryan dahil nga sa talent and skill level niya, and ‘yung tenacious defense na meron siya.”
Sajonia had transferred to San Beda in March 2023 and initially joined Team B. He shared that his transition to the Red Lions’ style of play was seamless.
He credited the confidence he received from his coaches and teammates for his stellar season debut.
“Isa sa nakatulong, syempre, ‘yung ma-feel ko ‘yung confidence ko going into the upcoming games, at ‘yung tiwala ng mga coaches pati na rin ng mga teammates ko. Doon ko naman nakukuha ‘yung confidence ko,” the 5-foot-11 guard from Iloilo explained.
Despite his strong start, Sajonia stressed that his focus, and that of the team, remains on executing Coach Escueta’s system rather than seeking individual accolades.
“Nakinig lang kami kay Coach Yuri. Pero wala naman kaming pake kung anong score ko d’yan,” he said.
“Masaya kami na nakuha namin ‘yung panalo. Pero hindi pa naman tapos, and marami pa kaming aayusin nina Coach Yuri, lalo na sa mga plays. Yung chemistry namin, andon na, pero may mga kulang pa rin kami.”
