Improvement Key To Blazers' Season 86 Success

For a rebuilding team like College of St. Benilde (CSB), winning the NCAA title or making it to the Final Four are not in their vocabulary this year.

What the Blazers want right now is constant improvement and that's what coach Richard del Rosario wants to emphasize.

"We want to see improvement game by game. That's our own objective right now," said Del Rosario, also the assistant coach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Improvement is indeed a modest but achievable goal for a squad that won only six out of the 18 games they played to finish eighth last season.

The Blazers have no marquee players say like a Sunday Salvacion, Jondan Salvador or an Al Magpayo – all members of their champion team in 2000 – in this season's roster.

Perhaps, the biggest name on the squad belongs to Carlo Lastimosa, nephew of PBA great Jojo Lastimosa of the Alaska Aces.

Lastimosa has bulked up during the off season and he hopes his new wide-bodied frame would add strength to his inside game. He will be one of the new additions along with seven other players who will fill in the void left by players who graduated.

Among those who won't be returning for the Blazers this season include dependable guard Anjelo Montecastro, David Urra and Jacob Manlapaz. Others who will leave the squad are Chuck Dalanon, Ilie Johnston, Jeff Morial, Jorey Tajonera and Aaron Umlas.

Despite losing eight players, the Blazers have promising new recruits in Tim McCoy and Luis Sinco, who, along with Lastimosa, will most likely provide spunk for the Taft-based cagers.

The Blazers also have holdovers Mc Abolucion, RJ Argamino, Mark de Guzman, Ian dela Paz, Robbie Mañalac, Jan Tan and Alex Wong.

Asked about the team's chances, Del Rosario said winning games should be done with a lot of effort and sacrifice.

And Del Rosario said his young Blazers know exactly they don't have the same tools like defending champion San Sebastian, perennial powerhouse San Beda and dangerous Jose Rizal University.

"It's a given thing these three teams (San Sebastian, San Beda and JRU) are the favorites because of the lineup that they have," said Del Rosario.

"There's absolutely no way for us to win games against them by matching up with them man for man. The key is make our opponents work hard for every offensive possession and challenge them no end at every given turn."

Rey Joble GMA News