When you want to be the best, you must learn from the best.
Mark Gojo Cruz and JP Boral know this as the rookie-veteran duo have the chance to make the most of their opportunities at University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, where they are learning under the tutelege of head coach Olsen Racela and deputy Richard Del Rosario.
So far, the two have already shown what being mentored by the caliber of coaches of Racela and Del Rosario can do for a player.
In their NCAA Season 100 opener against Jose Rizal University on Tuesday, rookie guard Gojo Cruz shone with an all-around outing of 15 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while seasoned big man Boral posted a double-double outing of 17 markers and 10 boards as the Altas gave their new mentor a fitting NCAA welcome.
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Racela, of course, was once considered one of the best point guards in the country, collecting nine PBA titles with San Miguel before entering the coaching scene, where he has experience in nearly every level of the game.
Now, he gets to share his wealth of experience and knowledge with the freshman Gojo Cruz, whom he said will be a huge part of his program at Perpetual as they move forward.
"Nakakatulong talaga si Coach O kasi ‘yung experience niya tapos guard pa kami pareho so kapag may maitutulong talaga siya, sinasabi niya talaga sa akin lahat. And siyempre nakikinig ako kasi sobrang experienced niya," Gojo Cruz, the NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball Rookie of the Year and Mythical Five member, said.
Boral, meanwhile, was quick to show how he has improved since his minimal playing time back in Season 99 when he would often come off the bench behind Jielo Razon, Jun Roque, Cyrus Nitura, and Mark Omega, who did the heavy lifting for the previous iteration of the squad.
With these stars now gone, Boral is slowly embracing his role as one of the new go-to guys of the ALTAs. And with Del Rosario guiding him and the other big men, he knows he's in good hands.
Del Rosario is a longtime assistant of decorated tactician Tim Cone in the PBA. He's also known as someone who has experience in handling and developing big men, having guided the likes of Christian Standhardinger and Japeth Aguilar in Barangay Ginebra; Marc Pingris in San Mig Coffee (now Magnolia), and even June Mar Fajardo in Gilas Pilipinas.
"Oo [malaking tulong si Coach Richard] kasi ‘yung mga big men namin talagang nagsi-seal sa ilalim. Kasi nu’ng mga games namin sa preseason walang nagsi-seal kaya sinabihan kami ni Coach Richard na tignan muna ‘yung paint," Boral said.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
