Will Gozum (right, photo above) this time looks for an open man. —NCAA PHOTO
By just glancing at the numbers, it’s easy to deduce that Will Gozum is chasing something really extraordinary for College of St. Benilde.
“We can contend for the championship by treating every game as our last,’’ said Gozum after propelling the unbeaten Blazers to their third straight victory at Perpetual Help’s expense, 81-64, on Tuesday that gave them great momentum heading into a treacherous six-day stretch in the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament.
An immovable force around the rim that resulted in 16 points and 12 rebounds, Gozum’s controlling presence and the Blazers’ unselfishness resulted in a third consecutive blowout win—the first two against legitimate Final Four contenders Lyceum and San Sebastian.
“I worked to improve during the off-season. Our mentality is to be calm every time when we step on the floor and make sure that the team is on the same page,’’ said Gozum.
Though the season is still at its infancy, the Blazers are not.
Big additions
Benilde coach Charles Tiu has infused a couple of key ingredients like the streak-shooting Miguel Oczon and the returning Jimboy Pasturan to implement a system built on getting everybody involved.
“Basketball should be fun, and it’s no fun with just one guy holding the ball all the time. So we want to share the ball, spread the wealth and have everybody contribute,’’ said Tiu, whose Blazers have dished out an average of 21 assists the past three outings.
“It’s within our philosophy and hopefully it will not change. Hopefully we can stick with what’s working for us,’’ added Tiu.
Miguel Corteza and Rob Nayve were likewise the recipients of the Blazers’ generosity on distributing the wealth, scoring double figures of 15 and 12 points.
The Blazers will encounter a murderous stretch of playing three games in six days that will put their durability to the test, as they play defending champion Letran on Friday, Jose Rizal U on Sunday and Arellano on Wednesday next week. INQ