San Beda University’s return to the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball finals has been nothing short of spectacular and one of the catalysts for this feat are consultants Norman Black and Boyet Fernandez.
Black, who won five titles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, said that after the Red Lions’ 82-72 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University last Friday, he and Fernandez, a four-time NCAA champion, were totally behind head coach Yuri Escueta.
“We’re here to support him. He’s the head coach so any responsibility ends with him. He should have the last say. We recognize that,” said the 66-year-old Black, who called the shots for Ateneo de Manila University from 2005 to 2012.
“I’ve been a head coach for 38 years. I recognize that you can accept and you can suggest all you want from your support staff and your assistant coaches but in the end, you have to make the final decision.”
He also said he is impressed with Escueta’s patience in listening to all the suggestions the coaching staff gives.
“In the case of Yuri, I coached him in college in Ateneo. So I had a relationship with him and was the reason why I joined,” Black said.
“I think he’s done a good job. He’s a bright mind. He really puts the work in to make sure the team is prepared for every game. He listens to the coaches and assistant coaches and we just put in the best game plan that we can get. Like I said, if we’re going to win this, it’s because of him.”
For Fernandez, he shares the same sentiments with Black as he deflects the credit to the team’s success.
“Rest assured me and coach Norman will help coach and support coach Yuri with what he is doing for this team. We’re happy with the way he is doing with this team and the way we achieve right now is a product of things coach Yuri has done,” Fernandez said.
“Well, if you will be in a war room, you will have a good time because everybody has been discussing and giving suggestions. Today, we settled on one game plan. That’s what happened today.”
As for San Beda’s upcoming Game 1 title match with Mapua University on 6 December at the Mall of Asia Arena, Fernandez said they will have to go back to the drawing board if the squad wants to get an early 1-0 lead.
The Lions have yet to win against the Cardinals in the elimination round after a 59-75 loss in the first round and a heartbreaking 69-71 defeat in the second round.
“Well, I did congratulate Mapua for making it to the final, especially coach Randy (Alcantara) and his players. They played well in the eliminations and they played well in the semis but as I have said, we will prepare for them,” Fernandez said.
“We’ll study everything and we have so many inputs in the coaching staff that at the end of the day, we believe when Game 1 starts, we’ll be ready.”
