Team Preview: San Sebastian Golden Stags
Overall record last season: 17-4, 1st runner-up
Head coach: Topex Robinson
Assistant Coaches: Allan Trinidad, Raymond Valenzona, Pedick Dimatulac, Edgar Macaraya
Players
ABUEVA, Calvin
ANTIPUESTO, Lyle
BALUCANAG, Bobby
BINUYA, Raymond
DELA CRUZ, Jovit
DONES, John Paulo
GUSI, Joseph Raffy
JUICO, Michael Vincent
MAIQUEZ, John Dexter
MIRANDA, Michael Angelo
PASCUAL, Ronald
REBULLOS, Jr. Paulino
SANGALANG, Ian Paul
TRINIDAD, Mark Anthony
VITUG, Arvin Jay
With its own version of the “Big Three” returning for another tour of duty, San Sebastian College-Recoletos has emerged one of the favorites in Season 88 men’s basketball championship as the Golden Stags bid to regain the crown they last won in 2009.
Key Losses
Anthony del Rio, who did a splendid job setting up the table last year, has already finished his five-year playing eligibility, leaving a huge hole in the Stags’ playmaking position. Though relatively slow as a point guard, Del Rio also provided clutch baskets for the Stags in the crunch. Whether Lyle Antipuesto or Raffy Gusi can be up to the challenge remains to be seen.
Key Additions
Coach Topex Robinson is bringing five rookies–Pampanga natives Michael Juico, Raymond Binuya and John Paulo Dones along with Paulino Rebullos Jr. and Mark Anthony Vitug, both hailing from Zamboanga.
Among his rookies, Robinson counts on Juico, a 6-foot-2 wingman, to provide an extra lift while high-leaping Ronald Pascual continues to get himself back in tip-top shape.
“He may be a rookie in the NCAA but he’s already a veteran of different leagues,” noted Robinson of Juico, 22.
Holdovers
Aside from the “Pinatubo Trio” of reigning MVP Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang and Pascual, also returning for the Golden Stags are rugged forwards Michael Miranda and Dexter Maiquez along with Jovit dela Cruz, Arvin Vitug, Bobby Balacunag, Gusi and Antipuesto.
Season Outlook, Strengths and Weaknesses
The Stags are expected to rely anew on their run-and-gun offense, with Abueva, who averaged a league-best 21.5 points on top 16.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season, and dela Cruz running the wings while Pascual tries to get his usual deadly form back. With another fruitful off-season outing, the 6-foot-7 Sangalang is also tipped to gain a bigger chunk in the Stags’ dreaded offense this season.
Tenacious defense and all-out hustle, anchored by Miranda and Maiquez, will be the Stags’ other vital weapons.
With no primary point guard who is battle-tested enough to keep the team together, the Golden Stags, collectively, may have a hard time breaking down the opponent’s pressure defense. That will also cause Abueva to get the leather far away from his comfort zone–around 10-12 feet. Add to that, Sangalang may likewise opt to clean up the glass instead of getting feed at the post.
Robinson is also dealing with his team’s consistency on both ends.
“We have to stay on our toes. We wanna have the same level of competition when playing the big guns and the light teams.”
Prognosis
With archrival and defending back-to-back champion San Beda losing half of its firepower, San Sebastian now has the golden opportunity to regain the men’s crown the Stags last tasted in 2009 under coach Ato Agustin, who now calls the shots for Petron Blaze in the PBA.
Winning has now been a tradition for the Golden Stags since the arrival of the “Pinatubo Trio.”
For the record, the Stags racked up 15 straight wins in the eliminations last season, only to lose steam when it mattered most, dropping four of their last six games, including two in the finals against San Beda.
But Robinson knows it but it will take more than just Abueva, Sangalang and Pascual to bring them back to the mountain top.
“It’s more of balancing the load,” was how Robinson plans to inject on the Stags this season. “I don’t know when these three guys (Abueva, Sangalang and Pascual) will not have their A-game. That’s why we really need to beef up our support group to sustain our play.”
The “Pinatubo Trio” will definitely run the show for San Sebastian throughout again but the other Golden Stags need to show up, most especially, when the stakes are higher.
Final Four? Count San Sebastian to that cast as early as now. It’s very achievable.
Regaining the men’s basketball throne is what Robinson and Co. have really set their sights on.
“Nothing less than a championship,” was how Robinson described the Golden Stags’ mission this season.
