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NCAA: Gozum wants to make Benilde community proud in final year

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Levi Joshua Verora Jr.

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="File photo" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/09/26/ncaa_csb-will-gozum.jpg"/><figcaption>College of St. Benilde&#x27;s Will Gozum. File photo</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Will Gozum had to decide between skipping his final year with De La Salle-College of St. Benilde or staying with the Blazers for one final NCAA men&#x27;s basketball tournament run.The 6-foot-4 forward saw brief action for Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) club Quezon Huskers and even considered joining the PBA Rookie Draft.But in the end, the Blazers senior chose the latter, wanting to impart a winning culture and make the Benilde community proud as he tries to lead them to an NCAA title in his last season.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/19/22/ncaa-no-excuses-for-mvp-gozum-after-game-3-letdown">No excuses, just lessons for Benilde&#x27;s Gozum after Game 3 letdown</a></li></ul>“Kaya ako bumalik, gusto ko mag-build ng winning culture sa Benilde,” the reigning NCAA season Most Valuable Player said.“Gusto kong this year, makuha na namin, dahil andoon na kami. Nakuha na namin ‘yung experience, so dadahan-dahanin namin na makuha ulit ‘yung finals appearance dahil mayroon ng experience. Gusto ko rin maging proud ‘yung community namin.”Gozum rejoined the Blazers in time for the AsiaBasket Las Piñas Championship after missing a few months due to a fractured finger.Through six games, Gozum has posted averages of 13.0 points on 43.8 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/11/22/benildes-gozum-named-ncaa-most-valuable-player">Benilde&#x27;s Will Gozum is NCAA Most Valuable Player</a></li></ul>Although far from his MVP form, the 24-year-old said having the opportunity to work his way back to coach Charles Tiu’s rotation through preseason games is vital for the squad’s chemistry.“Medyo nakukuha ko na ‘yung rhythm ko. Happy ako doon. ‘Yung conditioning ko, for sure I will be 100 percent since ‘yung strength and conditioning [team namin] hands-on sa amin. I’m happy nakaka-gel na ako ulit sa team,” Gozum shared.“Sobrang happy ako na kahit papa’no, andoon pa rin ‘yung tulong nila sa akin and ‘yung respeto nila sa akin. And throughout, ‘yung gelling and chemistry namin sa team, hindi nawawala, kahit na nawala ako. Nagiging solid pa rin.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/30/22/is-benilde-in-its-current-form-ready-to-win-ncaa-title">Is Benilde in its current form ready to win NCAA title? Rising star Oczon reacts</a></li></ul>The Blazers finished as the top seed during the NCAA Season 98 elimination round at 14-4, ousted the San Beda Red Lions in the Final Four, but fell ultimately short to eventual three-peat winners Letran Knights in the championship series.The team will be bringing a relatively intact lineup with only JC Cullar and Jimboy Pasturan departing.However, Gozum remarked that the entire roster will have to fill in the void vacated by them in terms of leadership.“For me, lahat ng vets, kailangan ‘yun. Ang laking kawalan sa amin ‘yun, sila nina Jimboy [Pasturan], sila ‘yung mga senior namin, si JC talagang captain material eh, on and off the court,” he said.“Kailangan naming punan kung ano ang nawala sa amin. Lahat kami, ginagawa ang best namin para pantayan namin si JC.”Gozum expects to make a full recovery from injury when Season 99 of the NCAA commences, as he hopes to make history with the Blazers.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/09/23/ncaa-teams-compete-with-8-others-in-asiabasket-tourney">NCAA teams compete with 8 others in Malaysia-hosted AsiaBasket tourney</a></li></ul>“Physically, wala naman akong pinoproblema kasi alam kong maraming tutulong sa akin. Mentally, ‘yun ang focus ko dahil sarili mo lang rin ang kalaban mo,” he said.“Come the NCAA, alam ko namang magiging 100 percent recovered na ako, so talagang pine-prepare ko lang ang sarili ko physically, mentally, lagi kapag nasa game ako.”<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I0a0MvSB1yM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

MANILA -- Will Gozum had to decide between skipping his final year with De La Salle-College of St. Benilde or staying with the Blazers for one final NCAA men's basketball tournament run.