BACK TO ZERO: San Beda sets aside elims sweep to defend NCAA throne

FORGET ABOUT IT.

That is what San Beda team manager Jude Roque practically told the scribes when he paid a visit to the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel in Ermita, Manila last Tuesday, November 5, as the  Red Lions are gearing up for their defense of their NCAA Men's Basketball title which will tip off next week.

Coming off from their second elimination round sweep this decade, Coach Jude stressed the fact that everything that they have worked in the regular season will not mean a thing without a ring to it.

“Yung 18-0 namin nung eliminations, kinakalimutan na namin yun because we know that any of the three teams in contention right now is capable of beating us," he said, referring to Lyceum, Letran and San Sebastian who are in the stepladder playoffs, with the last squad standing getting the incentive to play the defending three-time champs on November 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena to open the series.

Later in the afternoon, the third seed Knights took out the fourth seed Stags in the first stage of the stepladder to face the second-placed Pirates at the Cuneta Astrodome on Friday, November 8.

With the trip back to their usual stomping grounds a reward for their undefeated season, Roque is concerned about the rust that the players will have, as they had a three-week break before their next game.

“It’s quite diificult kasi siyempre mga bata pa yung mga players. They have the tendency to relax, to be overconfident. Tapos nagkaroon pa ng mahabang break so you know nagkaroon sila ng kaunting mindset na ‘uy bakasyon muna,’” he said. “And that’s very risky coming into the finals.”  

He was referring to two years ago when the Pirates of CJ Perez also swept the eliminations, but got swept when it mattered the most in the final when San Beda took their 21st crown in a sweeping fashion.

Incidentally, it was also the Red Lions who made history in 2010, when the crew led by Borgie Hermida and Sudan Daniel won 18-0 en route to their fifteenth trophy back to Mendiola.

Roque summed up the general message that the alumni had told to Evan Nelle and the crew: Good Luck.

The breaks were not even kind to them as well, as keeping the team fit is an arduous task despite winning 28 straight games dating to the FilOil FlyingV Preseason Cup this year.

“It’s not easy trying to find tune-up games kasi busy rin lahat ng teams. Ang hirap so wala kaming magawa, kami-kami na lang, scrimmage, kung minsan against our Team B,” he then said, noting that they have recently played a tuneup with MPBL's Pasig during their idle time.

With all the things have gone against their way, the flip side is that they acknowledged the fact that Ateneo made a sweeping history of their own as well with the Blue Eagles already filled up a spot in the UAAP Finals after going 14-0 in the eliminations.

"It will be really nice if both schools sweep the finals, para ang gandang gawan [ng storya]," Roque said, as he even proposed a benefit game for the people of Mindanao who were affected by the huge earthquake last week.

"Maganda kung parehong sweep. I really hoping for that to happen."

Photo by Philippine Sportswriters Association