Published March 11, 2024 6:07pm
Updated March 11, 2024 6:07pm
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran Squires could have inched just a little nearer to their aim — a uncommon back-to-back NCAA juniors basketball crown — however head coach Allen Ricardo revealed the journey hasn’t all the time been all clean.
Ricardo shared that it was a frightening process to regroup following the exit of NCAA Season 98 star Andy Gemao after the gifted 6-foot-tall standout served because the group’s pillar of their championship run final yr.
Ricardo admitted that Gemao’s departure prompted many to doubt whether or not the Squires had what it takes to go for a second consecutive title, a feat solely achieved as soon as earlier than by the squad.
“Medyo maraming mga naging challenges with the exit of Andy Gemao, parang they count us out kasi alam naman natin ‘yung kayang ibigay ni Andy,” Ricardo stated on Sunday.
“Ayun, tinrabaho lang namin ng mga bata but aside from that, ang dami na naman ulit challenges sa mga bata, iba-ibang ugali ‘yan eh kasi 18 na players ‘yan. Pinagdadasal ko lang ‘yung sigla kasi parang nakita ko na nu’ng nawala si Andy, parang ‘yung spark ng team hindi na gano’n ka-jolly.”
[There were a number of challenges with the exit of Andy Gemao. People counted us out because we all know what Andy could do… So we and boys put in the work but aside from that, there were a lot of challneges. There are 18 players so everyone’s attitude is different. I’ve been praying that the energy stays high because I saw that without Andy, the spark of the team just isn’t that jolly.]
Despite the bumps on the highway, the Squires continued to dwell as much as the expectations.
Letran ended the elimination spherical because the second greatest group behind prime seed University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (8-1), which dealt the Squires one among its two losses to this point. They notched a 7-2 report and claimed one of many two twice-to-beat playoff incentives.
They then managed to clinch a press release 91-77 victory towards San Sebastian College-Recoletos of their Final Four conflict to rearrange a finals duel towards the Junior Altas.
“‘Yun ‘yung I’m trying to cope up na kahit na wala si Andy, kaya niyong itawid ‘to. And thanks to the Lord, we finished 7-2 sa eliminations and ‘yung mga talo namin alam naman namin kung bakit kami natalo eh,” Ricardo added.
“Pinaghandaan talaga namin itong semifinals na ‘to.”
[I’m trying to cope so that even without Andy, we can get it done. And thanks to the Lord, we finished 7-2 in the eliminations and even our losses, we know why we lost those games… We really prepared for these semifinals.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
