University of Perpetual Help System Dalta will bank on main gunner Kim Aurin when Season 98 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament begins on 10 September.
Apart from Aurin, also suiting up are Jielo Razon and Jeff Egan for the Altas, who will rely on their stints in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason, Pinoyliga, Milcu and Universities and Colleges Basketball League preseason to pump them up for the most important tournament.
Altas head coach Myk Saguiguit said the two top Altas dribblers “are determined to give their all for Perpetual in their final year.”
The Altas did figure in the finals of the UCBL but they dropped a 73-64 decision to National University.
Still, Saguiguit believes that the squad learned a lot from the experience and it will show when the squad puts its best in motion.
“The morale of the players is high. After overachieving last season, they are ready to play Season 98 but I addressed them that it won’t be easy and that we have to take it one game at a time.”
Also returning for the Altas are veterans such as Mark Omega, John Cedrick Abis and John Paul Boral.
Perpetual Help managed to qualify for the play-in tournament in Season 97 after tallying a 4-5 win-loss record in the elimination round for fifth place.
The Altas then went on to defeat Arellano University and College of Saint Benilde in two play-in games to get the fourth seed and face the defending champion Letran College.
Perpetual even managed to send shivers down the Knights’ spine before being knocked out of contention, 77-75.
For Aurin, who missed out the Altas’ last two games in Season 97 due to chickenpox, he believes that chemistry will come into play this coming season.
“We lost to Letran and I told them we’ll get back at them this season,” Aurin said.
“We joined a lot of tournaments and our chemistry is complete. Our former rookies have improved. I believe that our season will be good this time.”
“For me, we need to get a lot of games so that in the second round, we will be able to adjust easily for the second round.”
