Key loss: Kim Aurin, Jeff Egan
Key holdovers: Jielo Razon, Jun Roque, Carlo Ferreras, John Abis
Season 98 record: 7-11 (9th)
Over the past months, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA had been working on its chemistry while also buying into the system that head coach Myk Saguiguit is trying to employ ahead of NCAA Season 99.
The ALTAs have seen success with this as evident in their offseason runs.
The Las Piñas crew made great runs in the 2023 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup and the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, both of which saw Perpetual reach the semifinals behind team captain Jielo Razon and other rising stars like Jun Roque, Carlo Ferreras, Cyrus Nitura, and John Abis.
Razon, who was the second leading scorer last season behind Kim Aurin, stressed that trust in Saguiguit's system would be the key this upcoming season.
"'Yung mga offseason na liga, okay naman 'yung mga performance namin and nakumbinse naman namin si coach na ready kami this season. 'Yung D-League saka Filoil kasi umabot kami sa semis tapos sumunod talaga kami kay coach Myk," Razon told GMA Integrated News.
"Naging malaking tulong sa amin 'yung D-League saka Filoil kasi nag-practice kami kung paano susunod sa sistema ni coach. Tiwala lang talaga doon sa sistema ni coach and tingin ko mas maganda itatakbo namin."
(Our performance in offseason leagues were okay and we convinced Coach Myk that we are ready for the season. We both reached the semis in the D-League and Filoil because we followed Coach Myk. Those leagues helped us because we practiced following coach's system. We just need to trust his system and I think we'll have a good run.)
Perpetual lost Aurin and previous team captain Jeff Egan to graduation with the former now trying his luck at the professional ranks as he has been drafted by Barangay Ginebra.
Even with the exit of Aurin and Egan, an intact core will still banner Perpetual.
Other holdovers are Rey Barcuma, JP Boral, Jasper Cuevas, Richard movida, Jearico Nunez, Denver Omega, Shawn Orgo, and Christian Pagaran while new faces include Angelo Gelsano and Joshua Ramirez.
(File photo: Angela Davocol)
"Wala naman masyasdong pagbabago sa team and nag-focus lang kami sa endgames, kung paano manalo kasi ayun 'yung wala sa amin last season e," Razon added.
"Hindi pa namin alam dati kung paano i-control 'yung fourth quarter."
(There were not that much change in the team and we'll just focus on the endgames, winning those because that's what we do not have last season.)
NCAA Season 99 opens on September 24. Watch the games live on GTV.
READ MORE | NCAA Season 99 basketball first round schedule
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
