Altas target Final four this season

PERPETUAL Help will no longer be a one-man Earl Scottie Thompson show when the 92nd NCAA basketball season unfurls June 25 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Seeing the Altas play cohesively as a team even without the former league MVP, newly installed Perpetual Help coach Nosa Omorogbe can only expect better days ahead.

“Unlike the past seasons, the players just watch Scottie and relied on him too much,” said Omorogbe, who once suited up for the Altas for a few seasons and replaced veteran mentor Aric Del Rosario early this year.

“Now, I encourage everyone to get involved because it is in teamwork that I believe we will find success,” he added.

In the absence of Thompson, now trying to carve a niche with Barangay Ginebra in the PBA, Gab Dagangon will have to step into the limelight together with Nigerians Bright Akhuetie and Prinze Eze.

Veterans Genmar Ylagan, Jeffrey Coronel, Flash Sadiwa, Keith Pido, Kervin Lucente and Gerald Dizon are also up to the challenge along with rookies Chester Saldua, Daryl Singontiko and Jonathan Yuhico.

Akhuetie and Eze gained experience after suiting up in the PCBL and has been contributing heavily for the Altas in the ongoing Filoil Flying V Premier Cup.

“We’ve learned a lot from it and we’re looking forward to play in the NCAA,” said the 6-foot-8 Akhuetie.

Omorogbe sees this as a positive sign in their bid for a return trip to the Final Four after missing the semifinals last year.

“That’s our goal, to make the Final Four,” said Omorogbe. June Navarro