San Beda University head coach Boyet Fernandez will be the first to attest that his team still has the chance to make it not just to the Final Four, but possibly even the championship round, despite plunging into unfamiliar territory in NCAA Season 97.
"I still believe that we have a good chance. At least my players realized that we are a good team with the way we played tonight and hopefully we continue to improve on that," said Fernandez after the 59-56 loss.
The Red Lions tumbled against arch-rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Friday, a loss that sent them into the play-in round where they will face De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in a play-in game.
The loss was also a shocker for San Beda as it was the first time since 2005 that the school finished the elimination round outside of the top two.
In Season 81, San Beda finished in seventh spot with a 4-10 record. Since then, they have consistently wrapped up the regular season within the top two while also copping 11 titles from 2006 to 2018.
"I'm sure my boys will be ready for everything, especially we're gonna play Saint Benilde right away on Sunday so just a one-day off," Fernandez added.
If San Beda wins the game against the Blazers, they will finish at number three and will play 2-seed Mapua University, who handed them their first defeat, with a twice-to-win disadvantage.
A loss, however, will send them into a do-or-die match against the winner of the other play-in game between Arellano University and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, who clinched their own play-in seat earlier today.
Still, Fernandez said they're taking all the positives from the game against rival Letran as he felt they did play well, especially in containing star Rhenz Abando.
"We'll take that in a positive way. 'Yung talo, hopefully, we'll learn from that. Alam naman nila yung risk nung natalo kami sa Mapua."
—JMB, GMA News
