SAN Beda coach Yuri Escueta is confident that his players have what it takes to make it to the PBA as role players for title-contending teams.
Yukien Andrada, Brian Sajonia, Joe Celzo, and Josh Tagala filed their application for the PBA Season 50 Draft, and Escueta attested to their ability to play under a system, their basketball IQ, and being coachable.
READ: Chris Miller shows range in recently concluded PBA draft combine
Escueta, who is also the concurrent TNT assistant coach, admitted the four is not in the mold of go-to-guys in the PBA, but said they have the potential of having great careers in the professional ranks by playing within a certain system.
“Something that siguro magiging confident ako about is how they can play and run schemes to whichever team, whatever team drafts them, defensive awareness nila, and of course, offensive awareness in terms of spacing, defensive coverages,” Escueta said. .
“Confident ako diyan sa mga ‘yan na very coachable sila at marunong silang sumunod sa schemes. I can say na medyo dehado sila kasi hindi sila one-on-one players. Siguro, that’s something that we preach in San Beda, running a system and not being one-on-one players."
Escueta admitted the four fits on teams that play a certain type of game similar to that of former San Beda players JB Bahio of NLEX and Peter Alfaro of Magnolia.
“May mga teams sila na babagayan. For example, parang Ginebra at saka TNT,” said Escueta, on which teams his four players might fit with.
“Madadalian sila doon. Aside from being good role players, maganda ugali ng mga bata. Hindi sila magkaka-problema doon. They are very coachable," he continued.
“Ang pinaka-example ko nga is kung how JV Bahio plays for NLEX. He always had double-doubles sa NLEX. And how Peter Alfaro is in Magnolia, he plays the point, he defends, he shoots when he is open, he knows how to run defensive schemes."
Escueta admitted the offensive games of Andrada and Sajonia is an added bonus to the teams that will pick them.
“Magiging advantage nila Yuki and Brian with their shooting,” said Escueta.
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