Lions formalize Escueta hiring

Yuri Escueta will call the shots when San Beda attempts to resuscitate its title hopes in Season 98 of the National Collegiate Athletic Assocation (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament.

After a disappointing campaign the last time where the Red Lions bombed out of the Final Four picture, the fabled school is hoping to stage a mighty comeback as he joins a cast made up of fellow San Beda alums Jenkins Mesina, Alex Angeles and Francis Cruz and ex-Ateneo player Andre Santos.

Former head coach Boyet Fernandez will still be around as the team’s consultant.

“A former San Beda juniors standout and a proud Coach Ato Badolato protégé, Yuri returns to his high school alma mater with a rich basketball coaching knowledge gained from several outstanding tacticians from his college days to his various coaching stints as assistant coach for Ateneo, Gilas, and TNT,” said team manager Jude Roque.

Roque said Escueta, who also suited up for the Blue Eagles, signed a three-year deal.

Earlier, reports said Kiwi-Serbian Nenad Vucinic will assume the assistant head coaching role but the foreign tactician is neck-deep in duties with Gilas Pilipinas and Meralco. “The agreement was done last week,” Roque said. Mapua University beat San Beda in a do-or-die game, 67-70 and sent the Lions out of the title picture.

Now Escueta will have a young squad at his disposal with Jacob Cortez, Rhyyan Amsali, and James Kwekuteye beefing up the crew in its bid to win another NCAA cage trophy.

Escueta will get a feel of what it would be like manning the bench when the Lions meet La Salle in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason

Cup this Sunday in San Juan.