Tiu warns of complacency

College of Saint Benilde isn’t taking Mapua University lightly despite facing each other for the first time in the finals of Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament.

Blazers head coach Charles Tiu knows better than to underestimate the Cardinals, who are led by reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Clint Escamis.

Saint Benilde is back in the finals after dethroning San Beda University, 79-63, over the weekend in the Final Four at the Cuneta Astrodome.

“Mapua’s a very physical team, they got dogs, they got an MVP in Clint Escamis, they got a lot of go-to guys who can really score so we need to be tough physically and mentally,” Tiu said.

“Obviously, this is still a new team but hopefully since we’re tougher, I hope we don’t have any more Finals jitters.”

Saint Benilde will be carrying the painful lessons it learned during its finals run in Season 98.

Despite finishing the league as the top seed and entering the finals billed as favorites, the Blazers, then led by Will Gozum and Migs Oczon, fell prey to the grizzled veterans of Letran College in the best-of-three championship series.

Now with the likes of Allen Liwag, Jhomel Ancheta, Gab Cometa, Tony Ynot and Justine Sanchez, Saint Benilde is poised to take an early lead as they take on the Cardinals in Game 1 of the finals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Tiu believes his current crew has all the tools needed to finally end a 24-year wait for an NCAA title.

“It’s a completely new team, I think I only have five guys from the previous team but we worked hard in the offseason to prepare and give guys opportunities to have this moment and we delivered,” Tiu said.

“I think we’re deeper than that Finals team we had so hopefully, it shows in that Finals series.