Key losses: JC Cullar, Jimboy Pasturan
Key holdovers: Will Gozum, Robi Nayve, Miggy Corteza, Migs Oczon
Season 98 record: 14-4 (first runner-up)
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde came very close to ending its 23-year title drought in the NCAA, arranging a finals duel last season with Colegio de San Juan de Letran where the Season 98 crown was at stake.
In the end, however, the Blazers remained as the heartbreak kids.
With an intact and reloaded roster, the Taft crew is hoping to write a different story this time around.
Bannered by reigning MVP Will Gozum alongside gunners and backcourt leaders Migs Oczon and Robi Nayve and steady wingman Miggy Corteza, Benilde is tipped to put on a show again when the new season fires off this Sunday, September 24, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Nayve, who will fill the void left by former team captain JC Cullar, said their previous finish was a testament to the potential of the team and stressed that despite the exit of Cullar and another veteran in Jimboy Pasturan, they can still give teams a run for their money.
"Sobrang laking feat na rin na naabot namin 'yun. Every season, may goal kami and isa 'yung pagiging part ng Final Four doon and then umabot kami sa finals," Nayve said.
"Up to the finals, nagawa naman namin pero we came up short lang sa dulo. Hopefully, this time magawa na talaga namin."
(What we have achieved was a very big feat. Every season, we have a goal and one of it then was being in the Final Four, and we reached the finals. We just came up short in the end. Hopefully, we can finish it this time.)
For Nayve, they have enough talent to compete in the upcoming season.
Aside from the core, also expected to provide the help for head coach Charles Tiu and the Blazers are holdovers Joshua Cajucom, Prince Carlos, Taine Davis, Chris Flores, Michael Mara, Macoy Marcos, and Mark Sangco.
Completing the roster are new faces in Jesseray Arciaga, Zenric Jarque, Felipe Marasigan, and Paul Turco.
The Blazers had a busy preseason after joining prestigious tournaments like the FilOil Preseason Cup and the AsiaBasket International Championship in Malaysia. They also participated in the 2023 Bola.TV AsiaBasket Las Piñas Championship, where they fell to the Ateneo de Manila University in the finals.
"Hindi namin in-expect 'yung mga nangyari sa amin this preseason namin, medyo go with the flow lang talaga kami. For example 'yung Filoil Preseason namin and 'yung Filbasket namin, naglaro kami without Will and medyo malaking adjustment 'yun sa team since malaking part si Will sa amin," Nayve shared.
"Ngayon na bumalik na kami, medyo nagkakapaan pa kami ulit and hopefully this time, 'yung preparation ay magbunga."
(We did not expect our preseason, we just went with the flow. Like in Filoil and Filbasket, we played without Will so it was a big adjustment since Will is a big part of the team. Now that we're back, we're still trying to gel but hopefully, all these preparations will bear fruit.)
Watch the NCAA Season 99 games live on GTV starting September 24.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
