Despite a consistent basketball program, an NCAA championship title has remained elusive for the Charles Tiu-coached De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
For the past three years since Season 97, Tiu has been able to guide the Blazers to the playoffs. However, the Taft-based squad has yet to translate this consistency into a championship trophy, which would be its first in 25 years.
Benilde reached the finals in Season 98, where it won Game 2 of its series against eventual three-peat champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights.
The Blazers then returned to the finals in Season 100 after missing it the previous year, but they fell to the Mapua University Cardinals.
It doesn’t get any easier as Tiu and the Blazers are looking to save their campaign when they face the San Beda University Red Lions for the fourth time this season. The first three times ended in defeat for them.
They were most recently dealt a 91-72 defeat in Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinal series but will look to overcome a tough side led by Janti Miller in Game 2 on Friday.
“You know, I don’t know what it is about our program. We were one game away from winning the title the first time in Season 98. Very close to it the last two years also. But for whatever reason, we just haven’t found a way to win. I think it’s as simple as that,” Tiu told GMA News.
For Tiu, one of the challenges that’s kept Benilde from lifting the trophy is not having players around as long as he would have preferred.
“We’ve faced better teams. I say that collectively. Total package. But we’ve been a bit more solid than teams who have been together much longer than we have. Because every year, we basically, the team, since the pandemic, we would have players just play for one year. I thought we’d do better last year, but Mapua beat us. And then this team was a new team, some of them from last year. This is only our second year together, so I was expecting a bit more,” Tiu said.
“But this season is not over. We need to find a way to win. We need guys to step up. Even us, we have to do a better job as coaches. I think it’s a total team effort that goes hand in hand. We just have to play better. When we win, then I’ll have the answer to that question,” he added.
Tiu, who had a clear goal to stop San Beda stars Miller and Bryan Sajonia, is hoping to accomplish what they set out to do.
Having Celis, who he deems his best defender in the rotation, rejoin the Blazers on Friday will be a crucial development.
“It’s not like we didn’t try. But I give all the credit to San Beda. They outplayed us, they outcoached us. They deserve to win this game. That’s why it’s a series. We have to find a way to get better. And find a way to win on Friday,” said Tiu.
“I’d like to play San Beda with a complete lineup. First game with them, we missed Tony Ynot, now we’re missing Raffy Celis. No excuses. I’m sure San Beda’s also nursing their injuries. We have to find a way to win. So that’s on us to figure it out. Whoever’s healthy that’s what we go with.”
—JMB, GMA Integrated News