NCAA: Reyson remains optimistic about Letran’ campaign despite early struggles

MANILA — This was not the start that the four-peat-seeking Colegio de San Juan de Letran was expecting to open NCAA Season 99.

The Muralla-based squad is currently at the bottom of the league’s standings after being winless in three games, having bowed down to Jose Rizal University (JRU), Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC).

For team captain Kurt Reyson, these losses served as a huge eye-opener for the Knights, leading them to regroup and rethink how they would approach the rest of the season moving forward.

“After ng game against EAC, kumbaga nabuhayan kami talaga. Nagising lahat sa nangyari na yun, kaya ang ginawa ko as team captain, kinausap ko sila at nag tipon kami lahat,” the spit-fire guard told ABS-CBN News.

“Hindi muna kami umuwi sa kani-kanilang bahay, nagsama muna kami. Naglabasan ng saloobin ganun, kasi sobrang down na down lahat dahil nabaon na kami eh, panalo na sana eh,” he added.

The Knights were always within striking distance in all of their three defeats, with their loss against JRU coming in OT, their setback against Lyceum coming off a late-game error that resulted in an eventual fast-break game-winner for the Pirates, and EAC charging on a 15-2 scoring surge in the end game to steal the win from Letran.

And aside from chemistry, the 5-foot-9, Davao Occidental native added that for them to correct these, the squad must put an emphasis on improving their ball movement and execution of plays.

“Yung page-execute ng mga plays, 'yun 'yung kulang sa amin eh, kung pano namin iiikot 'yung bola ng tama. ‘Di pwede mag kanya kanya eh,” he said, while also sharing how coach Rensy Bajar and former mentor Bonnie Tan pointed out similar comments during a team dinner last Tuesday.

“Dumaan din kami sa ganong sitwasyon dati eh. 'Yun 'yung nakuha ko sa sinabi nila. ‘Di puro di ba agad dapat. Kumbaga, mag-supporting actor ka muna. Kasi may gigil lahat, so sinabi lang nila na mag-support nga, magtulungan para mahatak namin yung isa’t isa.”

“'Yun 'yung nakuha ko sa sinabi nila, kasi nangyari rin sakin yan nung mga nakaraan,” Reyson added as he owned up and admitted that he also took part in that during their first three contests.

Moving on, Reyson said that he and the whole squad are motivated to bounce back, but are also remaining patient on how Letran will rise from the hole that they put themselves into.

“Ramdam ko sa emosyon ko, ‘di pwede na laging ganto. Dapat mapanalo na namin ‘to kasi mahirap yung gigising ka ta’s maiisip mo talo ka eh,” he said, as they are set to face their rivals San Beda University on Friday, October 6, 4 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

“Sa amin, nakikita ko na lalaban kami this coming Friday. Naramdaman ko ‘rin eh, na yun na 'yun eh, 'yung tatlong talo, so kailangan na namin umahon.”

In doing so, he said that the whole squad is laser-focused on improving themselves amidst the finger-pointing they are getting from some of the people who are rooting for the Blue and Red.

“Lagi ko naman sinasabi na ‘di namin pwede pakinggan 'yung outside noise. Ang focus namin, 'yung sinabi rin ng lahat ng coaches namin na hayaan lang namin 'yung ganun,” Reyson bared.

“Basta ang gawin lang namin, mag trabaho kami tiyaka makuha namin 'yung panalo. Kasi once naman makuha namin 'yung panalo, sigurado tatakbo na ulit 'yan. Magiiba na ulit 'yung storya niyan.”