FILE–Arellano’s Cade Flores. NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Letran coach Bonnie Tan believes Arellano big man Cade Flores is one of the best rookies of the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament.
Tan lauded Flores for his stellar game in the Knights’ 65-53 win over the Chiefs on Friday.
“Flores is one of the best rookies that’s playing this season. He’s the focal player of Arellano, especially in the big man department,” Tan said.
Flores finished with a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds in a losing effort for Arellano. He also shot consistently from the field with a 46.2 percent shooting clip from the field, sinking six of his 13 attempts.
Tan said he had to challenge his big men to step up to the former Far Eastern University recruit.
“We had to challenge our bigs to hang with Flores like Louie (Sangalang) and Pao (Javillonar),”
Javillonar and Sangalang’s efforts were not enough to match Flores’s stat line as the two combined for 13 markers and seven boards.
The 6-foot-4 juggernaut is currently the leading rebounder of the league with 10.4 boards per game at the end of round one.