JOSE Rizal University coach Louie Gonzales perfectly said it.
“You have to beat the best to be the best,” noted the veteran mentor when asked who he thinks is the team favored to win the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball championship.
“San Beda is the best since it’s the defending champion.”
Basically, majority of the 10 coaches present during the formal launching of the league’s historic season have the Red Lions on top of their list as the team to beat this year.
The Mendiola-based squad regained the championship last season by rallying back from a 0-1 deficit to win the best-of-three finals against the favored Mapua Cardinals.
College of St. Benilde, which made the finals two seasons ago, is ranked second behind San Beda.
“San Beda, kahit tinalo nila kami last season,” Cardinals coach Randy Alcantara said in jest.
Coach Gilbert Malabanan of host Lyceum also sees the Red Lions as the favorite to emerge champion, but stressed losing to the same team in the Final Four last season despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage serves as motivation to the Pirates.
“Last season tinalo nila kami kahit na twice-to-beat kami. Kaya motivation sa amin yun na maalala nila kung ano yung nangyari last season,” said Malabanan, whose Pirates will tangle with the Red Lions in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at the Mall of Asia Arena.
San Beda coach Yuri Escueta said he hopes his opposing coaches' predictions would be proven true especially with the team only retaining six personnel from last season’s champion unit, having lost key players Jacob Cortez, Peter Alfaro, Damie Cuntapay, and Clifford Jopia.
Cortez has transferred to De La Salle, while Alfaro, Cuntapay, and Jopia are now playing in the PBA.
“We won a championship last year and we know teams are going to go hard against us,” said Escueta, also part of the coaching staff of TNT.
"Of course, humbled din ako na yun ang tingin nila (sa amin), but again, hopefully, tama sila.”
After the San Beda-Lyceum tussle, College of St. Benilde takes on last year’s runner up Mapua in the second game on opening day.
The NCAA’s theme for its centennial season is ‘NCAA Siglo Uno: Inspiring Legacies Opening Ceremony.’
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