NCAA Season 91 preview: Young Stags ready to prove they can compete

Head Coach: Rodney Santos
Last season: 5-13 (8th place)
Key losses: coach Topex Robinson, CJ Perez, Jovit dela Cruz, Bobby Balucanag
Key additions: Genmar Bragais
Key returnees: Jamil Ortuoste, Bradwyn Guinto, Ryan Costelo

For rookie coach Rodney Santos, the task of leading San Sebastian back to the Final Four is not an easy challenge.

The former Barangay Ginebra player, though, is bringing in a winning attitude with him.

“As a team, I want to bring the never say die attitude,” he said. “Even though we’re underdogs and we’re on a rebuilding process, I don’t want them to think of it that way. Whoever is here, we’ll try to develop them.”

“I just want them to adapt the system, believe in the system, believe in themselves, and have the attitude, their willingness to win.”

Undergoing tons of changes in the off-season highlighted by the departures of CJ Perez and coach Topex Robinson, San Sebastian will parade a very young team led by seniors Jamil Ortuoste and Bradwyn Guinto.

And the players are doubly motivated to rekindle the spark San Sebastian lost last season.

“Our drive this year is much, much higher,” said Ortuoste. “We all want to go back to the Final Four and get the respect we lost, prove to them that we can still compete.”

“We want to work our way up, get some wins, and see where it goes. I’m pretty confident because we got some new blood, new rookies that are promising and have a lot of potential,” Guinto added.

Though Santos admitted that getting back to the top is their primary concern, all he wants from his boys is to improve last year’s forgettable run and take everything in stride.

“Top four is still our goal, but I want the players to focus what’s in front of us. I don’t want them to look too far ahead that we’re overseeing the task at hand. Let’s take it one game at a time and before we know it, we might be there already,” he said. CFC

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