Changes in St. Benilde apparent in opener vs San Beda

Rome de la Rosa Photo by Jan Dizon(file photo)

MANILA, Philippines – If a first game was any indication, get used to a different St. Benilde squad in the 89th NCAA Season.

The Blazers lost but not after pushing San Beda to its limit Saturday in one of the most thrilling NCAA opener’s in years.

And surely, the Blazers’ improved play didn’t go unnoticed.

“I think they’ve been playing really well. With their new head coach, it’s a whole different story,” San Beda forward Rome de la Rosa told INQUIRER.net. “Romero has been playing well and so is Taha. We can’t be too complacent.”

“I think of course as a new coach he’s going to give new things to the team. Before with coach Richard, it was mostly on Carlo Lastimosa but now it’s more of a team game. I think it’s good for them,” added dela Rosa, who assisted on Art dela Cruz’s game winner with 3.7 seconds left.

Velasco had said that the major change will come in the attitude of his players on both ends of the court. And it showed with St. Benilde falling to just a defensive blunder and four ticks away from beating a team considered to win its fourth straight championship.

“We’re new. There’s a lot to be learned here. There is progress in the sense that this is our third encounter with San Beda and at least it’s getting closer and closer and closer,” said Velasco. “At least I must say that the spirit and the heart of the players even if we were down by 12-13 points, we did not give up, we did not stop.”

“We were too excited kahit hindi pa tapos yung laro. Last four seconds, maganda yung execution ng Beda, nagkaroon kami ng misunderstanding, lack of communication,” CSB swingman Paolo Taha said.

Velasco, who made a name for himself with a handful of championships with St. Francis, had assured a different St. Benilde squad.

And change happened right away in his first practice with the team.

“Strict si coach Gabby. Walang relax kahit sa practice, walang tawanan. Kailangan makikinig ka talaga sa kanya,” said Taha, who admitted that he was nervous when he heard what kind of coach Velasco is.

“Disciplinarian si coach Gabby so kinakabahan ako pero mas gusto ko yung ganon para mas maging maganda yung sistema namin. Kung kailangan namin ng bagong result, kailangan naming baguhin actions namin on and off the court; doon nag-uumpisa yun. Excited ako na may bago kaming coach. Ngayon nag-aadjust pa kami pero makukuha din namin yun,” Taha added.

Taha said the team is focused more on its execution and defense and that Velasco’s system doesn’t rely with just one player alone.

“Kung mananalo kami kailangan collective effort unlike past years namin na one-man lang. Hindi nagro-rotate yung bola, walang movement masyado kaya hindi kami naging successful pero in terms of coaching parehas naman silang magaling.”

For all the questions on what the Blazers lost in Carlo Lastimosa, those were answered with what they gained in Velasco.

Taha, one of the team’s stars, added: “It’s paying off. Nakikita naman namin yung results sa practices and games.”