CENTENNIAL SHOWDOWN: NCAA opens 100th season; San Beda starts title defense

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

12 p.m. — Opening ceremony

2:30 p.m. — San Beda vs Lyceum

5 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs Mapua

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will kick off its Season 100 with a bang with reigning champion San Beda University facing host Lyceum of the Philippines University in the opening salvo of the men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

One of the league’s eight founding members, the Red Lions will start their drive for their second consecutive crown when they clash with the Pirates at 2:30 p.m. before the much-anticipated 5 p.m. showdown between last year’s Final Four competitors in College of Saint Benilde and Mapua University.

Prior to that, there will be a short, but expected to be meaningful, opening ceremony at 12 p.m. in which the league will take a stroll down the memory lane to reminisce its challenges and success since it was founded by Dr. Regino Ylanan in 1924.

Lyceum president Roberto Laurel, the Season 100 Policy Board chairman, reaching 100 years is truly a milestone worth celebrating, especially for a league that survived the challenges of war, revolutions, economic crises and, just recently, pandemic.

“Ten decades have passed and the NCAA continues to grow and flourish, remaining strong and resilient,” Laurel said during the league’s press launch last Tuesday.

“The country’s first athletic collegiate league has already produced many icons and legends who exemplify the league’s 100 years of excellence in sports.”

But come game time, intensity and drama are expected to reach fever pitch as the Red Lions and the Cardinals are expected to roar early in a bid to forge another title showdown that will cap the staging of the league’s most popular event.

Led by reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Clint Escamis, the Cardinals will be reliving their Final Four duel with the new-look Blazers, who figured prominently in the collegiate arms race when they landed quality talents like Justine Sanchez, Tony Ynot, Gab Cometa and Allen Liwag with Charles Tiu returning as head coach and Serbian guru Rajko Toroman as consultant.

Tiu admitted that he has high hopes for the squad, especially after having a solid off-season buildup that saw it competing for Strong Group Athletics in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championships last January and the 43rd William Jones Cup last July.

“I expect big seasons from them. They are the leaders of our team without a doubt,” said Tiu, who is regarded as one of the country’s most brilliant young mentors.

But Escamis said they are fueled not just by their burning desire to win their first match and set a positive tone for the rest of their campaign, but also by the pain they went through when they lost to San Beda in the best-of-three finals last year.

“Coach Randy (Alcantara) told us to never forget the pain we felt back then and use it as motivation and inspiration. I never forgot that pain,” said Escamis, who will be supported by rookies Chris Hubilla, Yam Concepcion and John Jabonete.

Still, the spotlight belongs to San Beda.

Entering the season without key cogs Alex Visser, Jacob Cortez, Peter Alfaro, Damie Cuntapay, Clifford Jopia, JV Gallego and Cyrus Llarena, the Red Lions will have a new leader in Yukien Andrada, who played a key role in their title run last year.

To prepare for the coming season, San Beda staged a training camp in Irvine, California under renowned National Basketball Association skills trainer Jordan Lawley.

The Red Lions also tested their mettle against a team composed of NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 players under National Basketball Association Summer League head coach Ariel Vanguardia of the Atlanta Hawks.

Lions head coach Yuri Escueta said it is vital for them to not only enhance their skills but also form a great bond to develop great chemistry inside the court.

“We were beaten by double digits whenever we faced them. The value of training abroad is learning from a different coach and being together the whole time,” said Escueta, who will also be leaning on veterans Jomel Puno, Nygel Gonzalez and Season 99 MVP James Payosing.

“Aside from their skills, their bond was also developed there.”