FOR NU-Nazareth School coach Kevin De Castro, the pain is nothing new but it never quite feels the same.
In his fourth year at the helm of NU-Nazareth School, the young tactician has found himself in a familiar, unforgiving position - close enough to touch a championship, yet left empty-handed when it matters most.
One by one, the heartbreaks have piled up.
READ: NUNS' Diakite moves forward from costly basket interference call
From a semifinal exit in Season 85 - when they entered as defending champions - to three straight Game 3 Finals losses in Seasons 86, 87, and now 88, the Bullpups head coach has endured a stretch that would test even the most seasoned mentors.
And yet, this time around, his perspective carries a different weight.
“It’s not the ending that we wanted, pero yun lang din. Kailangan i-keep yung heads ng mga bata,” De Castro told SPIN.ph.
“Sa akin, sanay na ako eh. It’s been three years. Pero sa akin, it’s more on the positive side. Kasi sabi ko naman sa kanila, wala namang nag-expect sa amin na aabot kami hanggang dito.”
Unlike in previous seasons where the losses cut deeper, De Castro admitted he has learned to take a step back and embrace the bigger picture especially for a squad that, on paper, wasn’t expected to contend.
“Last year, talagang umiyak ako kasi yun yung chance namin mag-champion. Pero this year, nakayanan ko na sarili ko kasi hindi naman expected na aabot kami dito,” he shared.
“Kung nag-champion kami, masasabi ko yun yung pinakamasarap.”
Despite the heartbreak, De Castro believes his squad still managed to exceed expectations.
“Para sa akin, overachieved pa rin kami this season,” he said.
“Sa papel, mas malalakas yung ibang teams. Pero nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na umabot sa Game 3 at overtime pa.”
Still, he feels the sting of being 'almost there,' especially after watching his team build a double-digit lead that ultimately slipped away.
“May panghihinayang pa rin kasi one game or even one quarter away na sana kami,” he admitted.
“Umabot pa kami sa lamang na 13, so doon pa lang makikita mo na kaya naman manalo.”
But as De Castro puts it, some things are simply beyond control.
“Basketball is a game of runs. Nothing to blame, pero ganun talaga,” he said, pointing to their disrupted rhythm and the opponent’s 45 free throws as turning points.
The mentor also pointed to the pivotal basket interference committed by their foreign student-athlete Moussa Diakite in regulation - a sequence that could have sealed the title, but instead shifted the momentum.
“Doon sa and-one sana ni Shaun [Lucido] na naging basket interference, doon ko masasabi na hindi talaga para sa amin yung game,” De Castro said.
“Andun na eh, pero hindi pa rin binigay.”
For the NUNS mentor, however, the bigger takeaway lies in growth - particularly in developing a closer who can take over in crucial moments, much like former juniors MVP Reinhard Jumamoy once did.
“Siguro yung kulang pa sa amin is yung player na magte-take charge. Kasi sa kabila, meron,” he noted.
“Sa amin, meron sina Shaun at Motmot [Matias], pero bata pa rin.”
That, he believes, will come with time.
“Very positive ako coming Season 89. Yung core - sila Shaun, Rob [Celiz], Chester [Tulabut] - mag-iiba na yung roles nila. Mas lalaki yung responsibilidad nila,” De Castro said.
Even with key departures looming, De Castro remains confident in the program’s pipeline, with several Team B players ready to step into bigger roles.
At the same time, he expressed his desire to keep his graduating players - Chad Cartel, Kurl Figueroa, Rhon-J Matias, Sofiane Bouzina, Lebron Manding, Salman, and Miekho Natinga - within the NU system as they transition to the next level.
“Gusto namin silang i-keep kasi nasanay na sila sa culture ng NU at sa sistema na gusto naming i-impose,” he said.
Through it all, De Castro continues to lean on the guidance of NU basketball program head and senior team head coach Jeff Napa.
“Si Coach Jeff naman, panalo o talo, nandiyan siya para sa akin. Very grateful ako sa kanya at sa buong coaching staff,” he shared.
Four seasons in, the championship remains elusive but the belief within the program has not wavered.
“Eventually, marami kaming matututunan especially yung mag-take charge hanggang dulo at tapusin yung laro hanggang final buzzer,” he said.
And after another painful ending, De Castro is choosing to look ahead.
Because for NU, the climb isn’t over - it’s only just beginning.
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