Arellano U’s Fil-aussie bruiser Flores hailed by NCAA scribes
FILIPINO-AUSTRALIAN Cade Flores has already proven his worth after four games with Arellano University.
The 6-foot-4 bruiser is averaging 11.75 points and 11.75 rebounds so far in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 98 while filling in the big shoes left by Justin Arana.
His best game yet came against two-time champion Letran last Sunday when he tallied 18 points and nine rebounds as the Chiefs snapped the Knights’ 14-game winning streak dating back to 2019.
Behind that double-double average and statement win, Flores was named as this season’s first Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week presented by the Philippine Sports Commission.
The impact rookie beat for the award College of Saint Benilde’s Migs Oczon, San Sebastian College’s Rommel Calahat and Lyceum of the Philippines University’s Enoch Valdez for the weekly award also supported by MNL Kingpin and Tinapayan Festival.
For Flores, upsetting the defending champions shows that Arellano University is a team to be reckoned with.
“I’m liking the challenge. It helps build confidence. We take each game as a challenge to us,” said the 24-yearold Flores after the Chiefs’ first win over the Knights in six years.
The top guns for Arellano University then? None other than Jio Jalalon and Kent Salado, who led the school to its second finals appearance—and its most recent playoff berth. At 3-1 won-lost this season, Flores is upbeat about the Chiefs’ chances of doing the same.
Saint Benilde, meanwhile, shoots for its third straight win as it tangles with University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Tuesday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan.
The only undefeated team after the first week of competition, the Blazers are bracing for a tough battle with the Altas in the game set at 12 noon.
Lyceum also tries to extend its winning run to three games as it plays Emilio Aguinaldo College to cap another doubleheader at 3 p.m.
Saint Benilde defeated Lyceum and San Sebastian to seize the solo lead.
In the Blazers’ 100-94 victory over the Stags last Friday, Migs Oczon made his presence felt by scattering 20 of his 25 points in the pivotal third quarter, while Will Gozum continued to play consistently.
Currently tied with defending two-time champion Letran at 1-1 in fifth spot,
Perpetual Help hopes to bounce back from last Friday’s 59-61 loss to Arellano University. Graduating forward Kim Aurin posted a new career-high of 27 points, but the Altas saw their main guns Rey Barcuma and Jielo Razon struggle against the Chiefs.