Lim at Red Lions umaasa sa 4-peat

Sa kabila ng pagkawala nina 6-foot-8 Nigerian import Sam Ekwe at veteran pointguard Pong Escobal, kumpiyansa pa rin si coach Frankie Lim para sa ‘four peat’ ng San Beda College sa susunod na taon.

 Isang 6-foot-6 American cager ang ipaparada ng Red Lions bilang kapalit ni Ekwe, naging sandata ng Mendiola-based cagers para igupo ang Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers, 2-1, sa kanilang best-of-three championship series at angkinin ang 84th NCAA men’s basketball crown.

 Kumpara kay Ekwe, mas naglalaro sa labas at may outside shooting ang 19-anyos na si Sudan Daniel, ayon kay Lim.

 “Sudan has a different type of game compared to Sam,” pagkukumpara ni Lim kina Ekwe at Daniel na tubong Los Angeles, California at namataan ng San Beda sa kanilang US training. ”Sam  is really strong inside and I don’t think anyone in this league can stop him once he steps on the paint. But with Sudan, I think you can expect some outside shots and rebounding.”

 Ang naturang ‘three peat’ ngayong 2008 ang ika-14th NCAA title ng Red Lions para pantayan ang koronang nakuha ng dating miyembrong Ateneo Blue Eagles sa ilalim ng 16 ng Letran Knights.

 Sa pagbabandera kina Daniel, Ogie Menor, Borgie Hermida, Bam Gamalinda, Dave Marcelo at JR Tecson, positibo si Lim sa tsansa ng San Beda sa 2009.

 “Anything is possible under the sun. Tinatrabaho ‘yon eh. And you don’t take that sitting down. You have to work hard on your recruitment and practice harder,” wika ni Lim, miyembro ng Red Lions na naghari noong 1978.

 Bago maibulsa ang kanilang ikatlong sunod na korona, dumaan muna sa kabiguan ang San Beda sa Mapua at Jose Rizal sa eliminations kasama rin ang pagbawi sa kanilang 23-point win kontra St. Benilde.

 “We struggled in the second round. We lost to Mapua and we had a hard time beating them in the playoffs. It wasn’t easy,” ani Lim. “So I think that makes it a lot sweeter because hindi naging madali. Pinaghirapan talaga namin.” (Russell Cadayona)