Perpetual oozing with confidence

Experience will be one of the biggest things University of Perpetual Help System Dalta will have to gain quickly as it marches into Season 102 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Head coach Olsen Racela said the Altas have enough players willing to take on bigger roles, but patience will be needed following the departure of veterans Patrick Sleat, John Abis, Jericho Nuñez and JP Boral.

Perpetual opens its campaign against Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“First, we need to replace the roles of those who played last year and have already finished their playing years. We need to replace them with players who are willing to step up,” Racela said.

“We have a lot of players who are willing to step up, but they lack experience.”

Guard Mark Gojo Cruz will banner the Altas alongside veterans Shawn Orgo, Gelo Gelsano, JM Tulabot, Ray Allen Maglupay, LA Casinillo, JD Pagulayan, Jan Roluna, Jericho Cristino and 6-foot-7 center Aries Borja.

Former Junior Altas standouts Jim Corpuz, Kurt Velasquez and Justin Thompson will make their seniors debut along with former Far Eastern University-Diliman guard Cedrick de Guzman and 18-year-old Isaac Yuhico, who graduated from Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California.

The Altas, however, showed plenty of promise during the offseason.