(By: Joaquin Cortez)
San Beda University may enter NCAA Season 102 as defending champions, but head coach Yuri Escueta knows the Red Lions cannot afford to be complacent as they embark on a more challenging title defense with a significantly reshaped cast.
With much of last season’s core no longer in Mendiola, Escueta is counting on his holdovers and new additions to preserve the system that has defined the Red Lions in recent seasons.
“New faces, different roles, new guys stepping up. In terms of the system and the way we play ‘yong basketball, it probably would be the same,” Escueta said.
“So hopefully, ang challenge lang for us is to be able to jive ‘yong rookies with the old guys and to be able to play the same way we’ve been playing for the past four seasons.”
San Beda saw several members of its championship squad move on after sweeping Colegio de San Juan de Letran to capture its 24th title — the most in league history — in the Season 101 Finals.
Janti Miller transferred to De La Salle University, becoming the third Red Lion guard in six years to make the jump to the Green Archers after Evan Nelle and Jacob Cortez.
Meanwhile, Yukien Andrada, Joe Celso, and Bryan Sajonia have moved on to the professional ranks after joining the PBA.
The defending champions also suffered a major offseason blow when Nygel Gonzales was ruled out for the entire Season 102 campaign after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
The 6-foot-2 Gonzales averaged 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists during the elimination round before raising his production to 16.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists against Letran in the Finals.
Still, Escueta feels satisfied with the Red Lions’ performance in offseason tournaments, particularly as they adjusted to the changes in their lineup.
“We know this season won’t be easy. ‘Yong preparation nga namin medyo early. Nagkaroon kami ng challenges, which is losing Nygel Gonzalez during the preparation. It’s something that we needed to be able to address and prepare for,” he said.
“But so far, after losing Nygel, ‘yong preseason namin, I think as a coach, satisfied naman ako sa mga performance namin sa mga offseason, like FilOil and ‘yong mga AsiaBasket tournaments.”
San Beda fell to Jose Rizal University in the 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup Finals last July. The Red Lions eventually got their revenge almost a month later, edging the Heavy Bombers in the 2026 AsiaBasket NSAC World Invitational to secure third place.
Last year’s holdovers Jomel Puno, RC Calimag, and Zedjay Etulle are expected to take on bigger roles this season, while Dan Marcelo, Sean Torculas, and Fil-Am guard Dom Sarigumba are also poised to bolster the Red Lions’ title defense.
Escueta, however, knows that the road to a back-to-back NCAA title will be far from easy, especially with several teams making strong impressions in the offseason.
The 41-year-old coach tagged JRU, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Letran, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Mapúa University as teams to watch.
“Sabi ko nga, sa NCAA — every time you play an NCAA team, you can’t relax kasi teams will outwork you and play with lots of energy,” he said.
“But so far during the preseason, of course, JRU. Sila ang number one seed talaga sa lahat ng teams. And of course, the old teams that have good coaches like CSB, Letran, and the new coaches that came in, such as LPU and Mapua.”
San Beda will see four of Escueta’s five teams to watch in Group A, where the Red Lions are grouped with JRU, Benilde, Mapúa, and Lyceum in the so-called “group of death.”
Meanwhile, archrival Letran finds itself in Group B alongside Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, and San Sebastian College.
With a target on their backs, Escueta wants the Red Lions to take it one game at a time while expecting no easy outings.
“Take it one game at a time, expecting the best from whoever we’re playing. Kasi nga, knowing that we’re the defending champions, they would definitely give ‘yong best nila against us,” he said.
San Beda will open its Season 102 title defense against Benilde on Sunday, September 13, at 2:00 PM at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
