SSC Battles Letran As NCAA 86 Kicks Off

Who’s going to stop San Sebastian College from scoring back-to-back NCAA championships?

With the exit of the Stags’ top gunner Jimbo Aquino, everybody, including the two newcomers in the league, expressed confidence of their title bids as the 86th NCAA basketball tournament fires off this Sunday with another elaborate opening ceremony at the Araneta Coliseum.

First to test SSC’s mettle is Letran – a rookie-laden team desperate to end a five-year title drought.

“Jimbo is a big loss,” SSC coach Ato Agustin said of last year’s Finals MVP.

Aquino averaged 19.5 points, seven rebounds and two assists in 19 games last year.

Despite his absence, Agustin remains optimistic in their 2 p.m. match against the Knights.

For one, someone from his ranks has tremendously improved since winning the NCAA crown in October last year, making him a shoo-in replacement for Aquino.

From being a sidekick, athletic forward Calvin Abueva is expected to assume the starring role for the Stags, who are looking to win their 13th crown overall.

“He’s become aggressive and more determined and has stepped up for this team over the past months. "He’s now our go-to-guy,” Agustin said of his 6-foot-2 prized recruit from Pampanga. “Calvin is different. When he is playing, he brings a different kind of energy to his teammates.”

Over the past eight months, the high-leaping Abueva, 21, powered his team to three titles – the Philippine Basketball League carrying the Excelroof banner, CHED National Games and the preseason Filoil tournament where won the MVP award.

Clashing in the second game at 4 p.m. are last year’s runner up San Beda College and third placer Jose Rizal University. A spectacular and high-tech show set at 1 p.m. will highlight this year’s opening rites.

The Red Lions are hoping that the 60 games they played since November last year, including their training trip in the United States last summer, will bear fruit for the team that is pinning its hopes on its talented rookie recruits.

“We have five talented rookies right now but they still lack experience,” SBC coach Frankie Lim said.

Former RP Youth standouts Jaypee Mendoza and California-based Kyle Pascual, Fil-Aussie twins Anthony and David Semerad, and transferee Mark Villahermosa are expected to provide some clout off the bench in the wake of the departure of Eduardo Tecson, Enrico Tirona, Jay-R Taganas, and Reigo Gamalinda. Last year’s top rookie, 6-foot-8 American Sudan Daniel, will still be around to provide firepower and ceiling for the Lions.

Facing them on the other side of the court are the Heavy Bombers whose new coach – former PBA star Vergel Meneses – promised to turn JRU into a “run and gun” squad.

The Mandaluyong-based dribblers will play minus their top three offensive weapons in James Sena, Marc Cagoco and last year’s MVP John Wilson, who let go of his final year in sympathy with the former coach Ariel Vanguardia.

Although the Stags lost Aquino, they retained the core of their champion team from last year including Pamboy Raymundo, Gilbert Bulawan, Ronald Pascual, Ian Sangalang, and Dave Najorda.

Meanwhile, the NCAA is looking at the case of Malaysian-Chinese Wei Lim, who according to coach Nomar Isla is a veteran of Penang Basketball Association (PBA).

The league is giving EAC until this Saturday to explain whether the PBA is a collegiate, amateur, or professional league.

The NCAA only allows players to see action in amateur league like the Philippine Basketball League after their rookie years.

Francis Santiago, Manila Bulletin