MANILA, Philippines -- With key cogs of the team graduating after this season, the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Blazers is going all in this season.
In an interview, CSB team captain Robi Nayve said the team’s mentality ahead of the opening of the NCAA is to go back to the finals and win the championship.
“That’s really our mentality right now. We passed our goal last season to go to the final four. So our mentality right now is to go back to the championship and try to win it all,” Nayve said.
Nayve, reigning league MVP Will Gozum, Miggy Corteza and one-and-done Felipe Marasigan will be graduating after the season.
“As Coach [Charles Tiu] is saying, we are not underdogs anymore. We have to face it. As part of the two teams that reached the finals last year, we’re one of the teams to beat,” the guard said.
“We are one of the teams that have an intact core, even if we lost a few guys,” he added.
The Blazers lost against the Letran Knights in three games last season.
Tiu, during the press conference Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena, said that Letran is still the team to beat for this season.
However, he and all coaches underscored that all teams are capable of performing well in the league.
CSB will be kicking off its NCAA season 99 journey against the Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Gozum will not play in the game due to a suspension, incurred after a disqualifying foul in Game 3 of the NCAA finals last year.
Nayve said that the team will not have a hard time adjusting in their first game even without Gozum.