AFTER finishing second to the San Beda Red Cubs last season the Arellano University Braves hope to do better in the Juniors Basketball Tournament of Season 92 of the National Collegiate Athletic Assocation.
Six veterans including Lars Sunga, Guilmer de la Torre, Jayson Danas, Anaclito Dulatre, Carlo Abadeza and Ira Bataller are back providing the needed leadership on the floor.
The team is off to a great start. They have won three straight games and are keeping pace with the multi-titled Red Cubs and the Mapua/Malayan Red Robins.
In their latest outing, the Braves posted a decisive 95-74 demolition of the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers.
The win was as easy as their last two games.
In their second match, Sunga fired 18 points for the Braves in their 105-88 destruction of the University of Perpetual Help Junior Altas.
In the opener, the Braves, drawing 13 points from Lars Sunga, mauled the San Sebastian Staglets, 86-66.
Those wins, according to coach Tylon Darjuan, are helping build the confidence of the team.
They have not met tougher squads like the Red Cubs, the Red Robins and the Greenies yet.
Darjuan dismisses thoughts that these early wins can be considered workouts.
“Maganda ang tinatakbo ng team. Sabi ko sa kanila na huwag maging kampante sa mga ginagawa,” said Darjuan.
In their last three games, the Braves’ big men led by Sunga, Dulatre, Abadeza and Bataller have been dominating the paint.
They have been clicking with rookie Aaron Fermin, a 17-year old, 6’4” standout from Nueva Ecija.
Their leader, and team skipper Guilmer de la Torre, is again consistent, and focused just like last year. As a sign of unity de la Torre and every member of the team had their hair shorn to military style buzz cuts.
The Braves have overwhelmed all opposition so far. But the real test will be when they face league powerhouses San Beda and Mapua.