Boyet Fernandez is back in the lion’s den and he’s ready to pick up where he left off.
After a couple of seasons in the PBA, the two-time NCAA champion is ready to make his mark championship-winning mark with the Red Lions.
He, however, will paint it on a blank canvas.
“We will have to start from scratch and really work harder to keep that championship in San Beda,” said Fernandez who revealed on SportsIQ, Inquirer’s omni-platform sports talk show, that he just met the team on Thursday.
Fernandez inherited a team that employed a fast-paced offense under former head coach Jamike Jarin. Though it was fun to watch, it allowed opponents upwards of 90 points per game.
The former head coach of NLEX wants to slow it down a bit so the Red Lions can hold opponents to fewer points.
“I like Jamike’s fast-paced game and I will not change that in our offense, but we will have to slow things down a little bit because we will have to be deliberate and disciplined in defense and not gamble too much,” said Fernandez.
“This year, we will have to cut it to just 70, which was about the same average our opponents have when I was still coaching here.”
Fernandez reunited with juniors Radge Tongco and Jayvee Mocon who were still freshmen when he was still the Red Lions head coach.
Cameroonian big men Donald Tankoua and Arnaud Noah, AC Soberano, and Jomari Presbitero, who were with the Red Lions’ Team B during Fernandez’ time with the Red Lions, were also reacquainted with their former mentor.
Fernandez has yet to name his captains for Season 93 but,for the meantime, put Tongco and Presbitero as the skippers on an interim basis.
He also hasn’t decided yet on who among Noah, Tankoua, and Nigerian rookie Tuba Eugene will be in the team’s final lineup.
Tankoua was the team’s stable inside presence for much of Season 92 but wasn’t able to complete the tournament after tearing his ACL, leading Noah to play heavier minutes en route to the Finals MVP.
Tuba, though he never saw action with the main roster, was a showcase in the NCAA All-Stars where he almost won the Slam Dunk crown.
“I think it’s not a problem, it’s just a matter of seeing who fits my system and the team better,” said Fernandez.
He added six Red Lions would play in the PBA D-League including sweet-shooting Fil-Am Davon Potts, Robert Bolick, and Mocon.
San Beda also hopes to train in Las Vegas and compete in several tournaments in the Philippines in preparation for the NCAA season.