DE La Salle coach Juno Sauler wants the best talent available regardless of playing position and will not pursue players just to plug a hole.
La Salle will go into the offseason with little gaps to fill before the Green Archers defend their crown in Season 77. LA Revilla, the main playmaker for the La Salle squad that won the Season 76 title, has turned pro and is now with Globalport in the PBA.
He is the only one from the champion squad that won’t be eligible next season, but Sauler said La Salle won’t necessarily be going after a point guard during the offseason to fill the spot, with Thomas Torres and Bacolod find Kib Montalbo set to alternate in the role next season.
In fact, the next addition to the team is La Salle Greenhills big man Prince Rivero.
“Sa akin, it’s not really the hole to fill up but trying to get the best talent available out there,” said Sauler. “Whoever we see that is good for college and fit for the system, then that’s good enough for me.”
Although La Salle’s college team is perceived as one of the top choices for high school talent, Sauler claims the school is lagging behind in terms of recruitment.
“We will sit down with the coaches and managers. We are way back behind compared to other teams so hopefully, high school players will give a shot at us, talk to them, and we will see,” said Sauler.
The Green Archers ended their glorious 2013 with another title by winning the Philippine Collegiate Champions League on Tuesday against Southwestern University. Before the PCCL, the Taft-based squad regained their supremacy in the UAAP by beating University of Santo Tomas in three hard-fought games in the finals.
Now the La Salle coach said they plan to prepare as early as possible for the next UAAP season. A training session in Australia during the summer is also in the works.
“Some are going home to their provinces, some will go to the US. We will start planning. Hopefully by the start of 2013,” said Sauler.
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