LSGH expects tougher road to title repeat

For coach Marvin Bienvenida, the road to La Salle Green Hills’ title-retention bid in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 94 Junior basketball starts now.

Bienvenida said the Greenies joined the Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship (PSSBC) and will see action in the Got Skills tournament this year to prepare the team for bigger NCAA battles.

“We are expecting Season 94 to be tougher and more difficult,” said Bienvenida, a 1998 LSGH alumnus. “I’m testing the players in these tournaments prior to the formation of the pool next year.”

Currently, LSGH is competing in the Metro Manila Basketball League (MMBL).

After the preseason tournaments, Bienvenida said players from Team B will replace Jacob Lao, Joshua Marcos, JM Pedrosa, Kairl Beljica and Albert Boldeos, who have graduated.

Finals heroes Joel Cagulangan and Josh David will once again anchor the team’s campaign along with Jared Lao, Inand Fornilos, Nikki Perez, Sidney Masqueda, Diego Morales, Joshua Dela Cruz, Angelino Cruz, Mark Daniel Sangco, and 6-foot-8 Ladis Lepalam.

Bienvenida expects LSGH to be the target next season.

“We see Season 94 to be tighter that’s why we really need to prepare seriously,” added Bienvenida, whose team survived four knockout games en route to its first NCAA junior title.