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Letran's Willie Miller

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1722427307357IMG_4587.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Letran Squires coaching staff. Handout photo"/><span class="fr-inner"><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(104, 104, 104);color:rgb(104, 104, 104);text-align:left;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">Letran Squires coaching staff. </span><em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(104, 104, 104);color:rgb(104, 104, 104);text-align:center;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">Handout photo</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Colegio de San Juan de Letran is looking to maintain its dominance in NCAA juniors basketball come the league&#x27;s centennial year.</p><p>The Muralla high school hoopers are entering Season 100 as back-to-back champions after previous head coach Allen Ricardo as well as the likes of Jonathan Manalili, George Diamante, and Jovel Baliling steered them to a pair of titles.</p><p>Ricardo, Baliling, and Malalili are now with the Knights, while Diamante, according to sources, is now expected to follow after he concludes his senior high studies. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/23/letran-outlasts-perpetual-to-retain-juniors-basketball-crown-1050">READ: Letran outlasts Perpetual to retain juniors basketball crown</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/4/27/ncaa-letran-s-manalili-baliling-commit-to-play-for-the-knights-diamante-unlikely-to-stay-1651">READ: Letran&#x27;s Manalili, Baliling commit to play for the Knights, Diamante &#x27;unlikely to stay&#x27;</a></div><p>Fortunately for the Squires, they will be headed by a familiar face who is a proven winner with close ties to the school -- former Letran star Willie Miller.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/30/ncaa-letran-officially-names-allen-ricardo-as-knights-head-coach-willie-miller-to-lead-squires-1200">READ: Letran officially names Allen Ricardo as Knights&#x27; head coach, Willie Miller to lead the Squires</a></div><p>&quot;Always, and once you are a Letranista, kahit dehado ka, panalo ka kailangan. Bawal sa atin yung matatalo. Wala tayong excuse,&quot; the new head tactician of Letran HS said on the sidelines of the Next Generation Basketball League (NGBL) season launch last Monday.</p><p>&quot;May import tayo or wala, kumpleto tayo or hindi, basta ang expectations natin palagi it so play the hardest and hopefully, we win at the last minute,&quot; he added.</p><p>Aside from the aforementioned trio, Miller will also be missing the services of former Squires Jolo Navarro, Justine Hugo, Ricardo Golez, Lex Gazzingan, and Jashlie De Leon. </p><p>But despite competing with a roster that is basically built again from scratch as there are only a few holdovers, the former first overall pick in the 2001 PBA Draft is liking their chances next season.</p><p>&quot;Oo, [confident ako]. It&#x27;s just a matter of buong buo yung team mo, and they know their roles, okay lang &#x27;to, &#x27;di lang kami mag e-expect ng kung ano kasi ito, new coaching staff, new system. </p><p>&quot;Kailangan namin is to gain experience and kumpyansa talaga lahat ng players. &#x27;Di ko naman pine-pressure yung mga players. Ang importante, they can gain experience. At tiyaka sa practice naman, nakikita ko na unti-unti, pa-ayos na ng pa-ayos,&quot; he continued.</p><p>And to get the burn that CSJL needs, the four-time PBA champion and two-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) is looking to let his boys bang with the rest of the NCAA, UAAP, and Filipino-Chinese clubs who are also in the NGBL.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/7/30/ngbl-to-serve-as-acid-tests-for-letran-nuns-ahead-of-ncaa-uaap-seasons-2101">READ: NGBL to serve as acid tests for Letran, NUNS ahead of NCAA &amp; UAAP seasons</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi pwedeng komportable ka lang sa kung sino yung makakalaban mo. Tulad ngayon may imports from UAAP,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;So the [NCAA players will experience] na yung best players [ng kalaban] are big men. Pero yun lang din yun, mas malalaki nga lang, mas matataas tumalon pero big man lang naman din yun.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Mas maganda na ma-experience mo na yung pinaka mahirap agad para matuto ka. Mas maganda na ma-experience mo na yung pinaka malupit para makapag adjust ka na agad coming doon sa tournament na pinaghahandaan namin,&quot; he added.</p><p>That is why even if he will be helped by a new staff which includes former Knights champion Kevin Racal, Miller, alongside his players, is eager to get the victory for his alma mater as they seek a three-peat next season.</p><p>&quot;If we can win here [sa NGBL] and win sa NCAA, mas maganda. Kung matatalo kami dito, pero mananalo sa NCAA, mas maganda rin,&quot; he said. &quot;We will always play to win.&quot;</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3064532"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>

<p>Colegio de San Juan de Letran is looking to maintain its dominance in NCAA juniors basketball come the league’s centennial year.</p>

Colegio de San Juan de Letran is looking to maintain its dominance in NCAA juniors basketball come the league’s centennial year.

New Letran coach Willie Miller optimistic of Squires’ chances in NCAA Season 100

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New Letran coach Willie Miller optimistic of Squires’ chances in NCAA Season 100

Romwel Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 31, 2024 08:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

ABSSports

NCAA Season 100

NCAA Basketball

Letran Squires

Letran Knights

Willie Miller

NGBL

Next Generation Basketball League

CSJL

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