Colegio de San Juan de Letran's defeat in the NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball finals did not dampen head coach Brian Esquibel's pride in the Knights.
The long-time tactician stressed that the team had exceeded expectations and vowed the only way forward is up as they set their sights on a redemption campaign come Season 101. And for the Knights, the work starts now.
"Actually I’m very happy sa narating ng team kasi coming from top four tapos umabot ng finals, it’s a big achievement na para sa amin kasi sabi ko nga sa kanila, baka hindi pa ito ‘yung time kasi mga bata pa sila," Esquibel told GMA News Online last Wednesday.
"Mahaba pang panahon ‘yung mapagsasamahan ng team, sana maging lessons ‘yung mga nangyari kasi kailangang mag-mature. And after ng game na 'to, magtatrabaho agad kami para sa next season."
The Knights made some noise this season, leaning on veterans Vince Himzon and Bembem Bautista as well as young guns Dave Lardizabal, Christer Ambrocio, and Wayne Araño to end the elimination round at fourth spot with a 12-6 record.
But in order to move forward, the Knights had to get past a huge roadblock that was De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in the Final Four with the top-seeded Blazers holding a twice-to-beat bonus.
Bautista went beastmode in the semifinals, unleashing 17 points in Game 1 that saw them sweeping the Blazers with a 25-17, 25-23, 25-23 win before detonating for a 27-point explosion in the do-or-die Game 2 to steer the Knights to a 22-25, 28-26, 25-14, 25-20 victory and into the finals.
That win alone was already a historic one for Letran as it sent them to the championship round for the first time in 16 years. But the Knights faded in the finals against eventual champion Arellano University to cap off their stellar campaign.
"Ngayon, meron na kaming championship experience na dadalhin para sa susunod na season. Ang sabi ko sa kanila walang hihinto hangga’t walang ginto," Esquibel added.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
