New JRU coach Louie Gonzales. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Louie Gonzalez is eager to change Jose Rizal University’s identity for the better.
Barely a month into his tenure with the Heavy Bombers, Gonzalez said he sees a golden opportunity to mold his players into one of the grittiest team in the NCAA.
“The mentality that we’re trying to set is we want to be known as one of the hardest working and most patient team offensively and defensively, I want to establish a situation that nothing’s easy,” said Gonzalez in Filipino Thursday at Filoil Flying V Center.
Gonzalez inherited a Heavy Bombers team that’s composed mainly of role players from seasons ago when Vergel Meneses still called the shots.
Gone are the days when Teytey Teodoro, Paulo Pontejos, Ervin Grospe were still the stars in the team, and this gives Gonzales practically an open page for him to create a new system.
“We’re a rebuilding team and most of our players still have four or five years of collegiate eligibility and I see it as an opportunity to build our identity,” said Gonzalez who last coached for De La Salle in the UAAP.
The Green Archers’ former head coach added he wants his players to be more selfless on the floor and get their bodies ready for the demands of his new system.
Gonzalez employed one of the most demanding systems in collegiate basketball when he coached the Green Archers in 2018.
La Salle was one of the stingiest teams in the UAAP Season 81 basketball tournament limiting opposing teams to 70.8 points while amassing an 8-6 record.
The Green Archers were also the second-best rebounders during that time averaging 46.9 boards, just a shade below Ateneo’s mark of 47.1.
“It’s a process and I know we should be quicker with it so what we’re doing right now is we’re doing a lot in practice so my players will be ready for the demands of the system,” said Gonzalez.
“The most important thing, though, is I want my personnel to play selflessly.”