Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — San Beda clashes with host Mapua Saturday (June 27) as it seeks to jumpstart its campaign for a record six straight championships in the 91st National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) senior basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Lions will parade a new coach Jamike Jarin and another African import, David Tankoua, when they clash with the vastly-improved Mapua Cardinals in the first game at 1PM, which will come right after the opening ceremony centered in this season’s theme: “NCAA: Engineered for Sports Excellence in the New Decade.”
San Beda currently holds the distinction alongside the San Sebastian team of 1993-97 with the longest title streak at five and if it goes all the way again this season will become the school with most consecutive seniors championships at six.
Related: All eyes on San Beda
“I believe San Beda has a tradition to preserve and although I know it’s going to be tough, we’ll try to do everything to continue it,” said Jarin, who started as Ateneo’s multi-titled high school coach and mentor of the Batang Gilas squad that made it to the FIBA Worlds for the first time ever.
Jarin has inherited from former coach Boyet Fernandez an already loaded roster headed by Nigerian behemoth Ola Adeogun, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games veteran Baser Amer, and Arthur dela Cruz.
And the entry of Tankoua, a rookie out of Cameroon, should further beef up an already formidable San Beda roster.
But Jarin knows nothing will come easy.
“I expect it to be toughest season for San Beda considering that all schools have really improved,” he said.
Mapua, last placer in the last two seasons, will come into the season with a lot of optimism with the return of Josan Nimes and Andretti Stevens, and the arrival of Nigerian Allwell Oraeme to backstop a renewed CJ Isit, who was by far the best player who has emerged from last year’s tumultuous season.
Also seeing action at 3PM Saturday are last year’s first and second runners up Arellano University and Jose Rizal University, both tipped to challenge San Beda for the crown.
The Chiefs are expected to rely heavily on the duo of Jio Jalalon, another SEAG veteran, and American Dioncee Holts after losing John Pinto, Prince Caperal, Levi Hernandez and Kieth Agovida.
The Bombers, for their part, have retained the core of the same squad that made it to the Final Four a season ago while adding returnee John Pontejos and Cameroonian giant Abdouladif Aylagnigni Poutouochi.
“We’re going into that game against Jose Rizal as an underdog,” said Arellano mentor Jerry Codinera.
