Colegio de San Juan de Letran head coach Bonnie Tan admitted that the exit of his former stars like Rhenz Abando and Jeo Ambohot will be hard to recover from, especially as they make their bid for a third straight title in the NCAA Season 98.
Abando opted not to use his one remaining playing year with the Knights and turned professional in the Korean Basketball League while Ambohot also jumped to the pro scene with Converge in the PBA. Aside from the two, role players Allen Mina and Christian Fajarito also bid goodbye due to graduation, leaving Letran with a lot of huge holes to fill.
And Tan is calling on the holdovers and other incoming players to step up as they eye to retain the title in Muralla.
"Of course mahirap but again it's going to be a big challenge for all the players, 'yung mga veteran players natin sa team," Tan said during the league's media launch last Monday.
With plenty of backcourt gunners, Letran is definitely in need of big men to step on the spotlight.
Ambohot was the top big man for the Knights in the previous season, where the 6-foot-7 banger averaged 10.45 points, 10.45 rebounds, 1.55 blocks, 0.91 assists, and 0.45 steals.
But with him gone, that role will now be left to the 6-foot-4 Louie Sangalang along with Paolo Javillonar, though Tan said the 22-year-old slotman remains in the rehabilitation stage of a hamstring injury.
Tan is also expecting a stellar performance from rookie Kobe Monje, who had played with the team in some of their preseason activities.
"Actually, they want to step up in behalf of the exit ng mga veteran players but again, we're undermanned right now so 'yun lang, sana sa mga rookies namin may mag-step up na bigs na again makatulong sa campaign namin this season," Tan added.
"Sa ngayon, 'yung Paolo Javillonar nasa rehab stage pa rin sa hamstring injury niya. Kobe Monje nakabalik na the other day with his new mask on."
—JMB, GMA News
