Brian Esquibel still proud of 'overachiever' Letran Knights despite finals heartbreak
By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News
Colegio de San Juan de Letran's defeat in the NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball finals did not dampen head coach Brian Esquibel's pride in the Knights.
The long-time tactician stressed that the team had exceeded expectations and vowed the only way forward is up as they set their sights on a redemption campaign come Season 101. And for the Knights, the work starts now.
"Actually I'm very happy sa narating ng team kasi coming from top four tapos umabot ng finals, it's a big achievement na para sa amin kasi sabi ko nga sa kanila, baka hindi pa ito 'yung time kasi mga bata pa sila," Esquibel told GMA News Online last Wednesday.
"Mahaba pang panahon 'yung mapagsasamahan ng team, sana maging lessons 'yung mga nangyari kasi kailangang mag-mature. And after ng game na 'to, magtatrabaho agad kami para sa next season."
The Knights made some noise this season, leaning on veterans Vince Himzon and Bembem Bautista as well as young guns Dave Lardizabal, Christer Ambrocio, and Wayne Araño to end the elimination round at fourth spot with a 12-6 record.
But in order to move forward, the Knights had to get past a huge roadblock that was De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in the Final Four with the top-seeded Blazers holding a twice-to-beat bonus.
Bautista went beastmode in the semifinals, unleashing 17 points in Game 1 that saw them sweeping the Blazers with a 25-17, 25-23, 25-23 win before detonating for a 27-point explosion in the do-or-die Game 2 to steer the Knights to a 22-25, 28-26, 25-14, 25-20 victory and into the finals.
That win alone was already a historic one for Letran as it sent them to the championship round for the first time in 16 years. But the Knights faded in the finals against eventual champion Arellano University to cap off their stellar campaign.
"Ngayon, meron na kaming championship experience na dadalhin para sa susunod na season. Ang sabi ko sa kanila walang hihinto hangga't walang ginto," Esquibel added.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Javi Gomez de Liaño, Ian Miller join Strong Group in Jones Cup
Javi Gomez de Liaño and Ian Miller have been tapped to join Strong Group Athletics' title defense bid in the 2025 William Jones Cup set from July 12 to 20 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan. The two additions will join a stacked lineup headlined by local stars Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando, Jason Brickman, Dave Ildefonso, Ange Kouame, Geo Chiu, and reigning NCAA MVP Allen Liwag. 'These are excellent additions to our team,' said head coach Charles Tiu. 'Javi and Ian bring high-level experience and versatility. They'll really complement the core group we already have.' The 26-year-old Gomez de Liaño is heading into his second year with Korean club Anyang. He posted averages of 8.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in his debut campaign. American reinforcement Miller, meanwhile, saw action in the Basketball Champions League Asia and was named the MVP in the Asia-East division after averaging 17.9 points on 44.1% shooting, alongside 2.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists. 'He's coming off an impressive run in BCL Asia, so we're excited to bring that firepower to our backcourt,' said Tiu. SGA will kick off its campaign for back-to-back championships on July 13 against Chinese-Taipei A, followed by matchups against Japan's Under-25 team, Qatar, Australia, Chinese-Taipei B, Malaysia, Bahrain, and UAE. —Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Clint Escamis banners top student-athletes to be feted in Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night
Another year of brilliance from the UAAP and the NCAA during the 2024-2025 athletic season will be celebrated in the 2025 Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Awards Night. Top student-athletes, the best coaches, and the people behind a sustained high-level of competition across the collegiate scenes will be given their due flowers on Monday at the Discovery Suites Manila in Ortigas, Pasig City. As the CPC continues to expand its elite honor roll three years after its inception, football will be recognized for the first time by a group of esteemed journalists from both print and online media. This year's awards night will honor the stellar student-athletes of UAAP Season 87 and NCAA Season 100 with CPC Men's Basketball Player of the Year Clint Escamis of Mapua headlining a total of 26 awardees. Escamis' award is presented by GMA Network. Escamis shone brightly as he steered the Cardinals to their first title after a long and winding 33-year wait following a sweep of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers. Joining him is Ateneo's Kacey Dela Rosa as this year's CPC Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Dela Rosa powered the Blue Eagles to their third straight Final Four appearance while earning her back-to-back UAAP MVP plums to become only the fifth women's basketball player to achieve the feat in the league. With Escamis in the CPC Men's Mythical Team are NCAA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Allen Liwag of College of St. Benilde, UAAP Finals MVP JD Cagulangan of UP, and two-time UAAP Season MVP Kevin Quiambao together with La Salle teammate Mike Phillips. Meanwhile, the second set of CPC Women's Mythical Team will include Dela Rosa, UAAP Rookie of the Year and Finals MVP Cielo Pagdulagan of NU, last year's inaugural recipient of the CPC Women's Basketball Player of the Year Kent Pastrana of UST, Louna Ozar of UP, and Elaine Etang of Adamson. For the second time, UP's Goldwin Monteverde is the awardee of the UAAP Men's Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Fighting Maroons back to the throne while Mapua mentor Randy Alcantara is the NCAA counterpart after guiding the Cardinals to a historic title conquest the same way Monteverde has done three seasons prior. Lastly for the top basketball tacticians, NU's Aris Dimaunahan is the UAAP Women's Basketball Coach of the Year after engineering a near-perfect redemption tour for the Lady Bulldogs which secured their eighth title in nine seasons. Meanwhile, after four years of a decorated collegiate career, NU's Bella Bellen kissed the league goodbye with a third and final championship trophy laced with three Season MVP citations to become the UAAP Women's Volleyball Player of the Year for the third time while Leo Aringo is set to be acknowledged as the men's counterpart. Likewise, Benilde's Zam Nolasco is the recipient of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Player of the Year for her heroics in the Lady Blazers' four-peat run with equally deserving awardee Finals MVP Carl Berdal of Arellano as the men's counterpart following his efforts in the Chiefs' breakthrough title. Longtime NU mentor Dante Alinsunurin and returning Sherwin Meneses are this year's UAAP Men's and Women's Volleyball Coaches of the Year, respectively, for keeping the school's program at the top of the chain. Arellano's Bryan Vitug and Benilde's Jerry Yee earned the NCAA Men's and Women's Volleyball Coaches of the Year nods, respectively, for their remarkable coaching job during the centennial season. Vitug, in only his first year at the helm has made a success out of the Chiefs 16 years since joining the league while Yee continued to bring the Lady Blazers to new heights with a four-peat accomplishment now under his tenure. Last but not the least, the inaugural Football Players of the Year will be spearheaded by a trio of MVPs in their own divisions: FEU's Mon Diansuy and Carmela Altiche together with Amir Aningalan of San Beda to round out the awardees. A Special Citation Award will also be granted to the NCAA following a century of excellence that has ensured there will never be a shortage of generational talents in Philippine sports. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 days ago
- GMA Network
Clint Escamis is CPC Basketball Player of the Year; Carl Berdal, Zam Nolasco take top volleyball honors for NCAA
Mapua University's Clint Escamis was named by the Collegiate Press Corps as its Basketball Player of the Year which will be given on Monday in its annual Awards Night. Escamis, the Season 99 Most Valuable Player, led the Cardinals to its first title since 1991 in NCAA Season 100. By the end of the elimination round, Escamis had averages of 15.44 points, 3.61 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.89 steals per game and was among the league's leaders in scoring, total assists, and steals in the past season. In the finals where the Cardinals swept De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Escamis posted averages of 24.5 points, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals to be named as Finals MVP. Carl Berdal of Arellano University and Benilde's Zam Nolasco, meanwhile, were named as the Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Men's and Women's Volleyball Players of the Year, respectively. Berdal was named the Finals MVP of the Season 100 men's volleyball tournament as he led the Chiefs to its first title in men's volleyball. The Arellano veteran was among the league's top scorers at 11th place with a total of 255 points, a leader in spiking with 44.19% success rate, and second overall in receiving with an efficiency rate of 56.84%. Nolasco, on the other hand, was crucial in the Lady Blazers' campaign to reach their fourth straight title. The third year middle blocker was 12th overall in scoring with 211 points, and number one in blocking with 0.73 average by set, which earned her a spot in the league's Best Middle Blockers this season. In Game 1 of the finals, Nolasco paced Benilde with 21 points, eight from blocks, as the Lady Blazers eventually won the title. UAAP back-to-back MVP Kacey Dela Rosa of Ateneo de Manila University, meanwhile, was named as the Collegiate Press Corps Women's Basketball Player of the Year, while Bella Belen and Leo Aringo of National University were the top players in UAAP volleyball. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
