Why San Juan Knights are the MPBL’s most dominant team?

SAN JUAN KNIGHTS is one of only two teams that remain undefeated in the ongoing MPBL Datu Cup alongside Muntinlupa as they share identical 3-0 slates, but there’s a better reason why the Go-For-Gold-supported squad is the tournament’s most dominant squad so far.

The Knights have five ex-pros playing in the squad led by former scoring champion Mac Cardona, ex-Ginebra player John Wilson, journeyman Larry Rodriguez, and two other players who had brief stints in the pro league – Samboy de Leon and Jam Cortes.

The Randy Alcantara-mentored Knights has been winning big games not only because of solid production from their ex-pros but also from amateur standouts like CJ Isit, Aaron Jeruta, Mike Ayon Ayon and Lester Reyes among others.

San Juan has defeated its opponent by an average of 23.33 points per game in its first three wins in the fastest growing regional amateur basketball league put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and league’s 25 Greatest member Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

The Knights debuted with a smashing 9370 triumph over the Pampanga Lanterns. They made a fitting follow up by blowing past the Bulacan Kuyas, 94-76 and sustained their big winning run with a sound beating of the Pasay Voyagers, 89-66.

Defense, according to Mr. Alcantara, has been a big reason for the team’s early success so far.

“We enjoyed the game, but at the same time we’re playing defense,” Mr. Alcantara told

BusinessWorld. “A lot of people are saying we are the team to beat because of our ex-pros and talented lineup, but defense has been the team’s calling card and the players’ willingness to embrace that defensive philosophy is part of the reason why we were successful this early.”

This was the same observation shared by Mr. Wilson, one of the veterans of the team, who has always preached defense as the squad’s driving force to success.

“Everybody is buying into that mentality,” added Mr. Wilson. “We know we have a lot of good players who can score, but the challenge for us is our ability to play defense and we showed that in our first three wins. Everybody wants to get themselves involved, offensively and defensively.”

With a long season ahead, it is always a challenge for Mr. Alcantara and the rest of the coaching staff to keep the players healthy and at the same time, always in game shape. With a long lay off in store right after every game day, the coaches had to prepare their players in practice and make sure they would be able to dust off the rust of being idle for more than a week.

“Normally, the next game takes place more than a week after we played,” said Mr. Alcantara. “You really have to strike a balance between keeping them in tip-top shape and be ready despite being idle for more than a week.” —