EAC out to make mark in NCAA
THE Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals have not made their mark since joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament in 2009.
A mainstay at the bottom end of the team standings, EAC has not even made the Final Four in 13 years of playing in the oldest collegiate basketball league.
But with a new coach in tow, expectations have suddenly spiked up for EAC.
Jerson Cabiltes, a champion in every league he has coached in the past, will now handle the Generals, who are hoping his winning ways would turn the table around for the team.
Cabiltes, who recently led Nueva Ecija to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) championship, said that his goal is to lead EAC to at least a semifinal finish in the upcoming season of the NCAA.
“Final Four is always the goal. We’re going to believe that we can reach it. But as I’ve told them, we can’t just be talking, we have to start now in practice and we’re going to join pocket tournaments to see if we’re making some progress or not,” said Cabiltes at The Manila Times Courtside episode.
“We all know that the blue-chip recruits go to the higher-ranked teams, those who have deep budgets. We want to play as underdogs. We want to spoil those who are considered favorites.”
EAC finished dead last in Season 98 last year with just three wins in 18 games under then head coach Oliver Bunyi.
The Generals, however, lost their star big man Allen Liwag who left EAC to play for last year’s runner-up De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Cabiltes hopes that Liwag’s departure could actually help elevate the game of some of the remaining players on the bench like JP Magullano and Ralph Robin.
“Allen Liwag’s departure is a challenge. But I always believe in the ‘next man up’ mentality so everyone needs to step up their game. Liwag’s departure hopefully elevates someone else’s game because of the void that he’s going to leave behind,” said Cabiltes.
As someone who has a decorated coaching resume, Cabiltes is expected to instill a winning program for EAC and help preserve his status as one of the promising coaches outside the PBA.
Cabiltes, however, is about climbing another mountain and conquering another challenge.
“For me, it’s a different challenge coaching college basketball. EAC is coming from the bottom of the standings. They never made the Final Four,” said Cabiltes.
“Instead of looking at it that way, I want to help the school and I want to help the program. Definitely, we want to fix the program so we can reach the coveted Final Four.”
Making the Final Four is a lot easier said than done, he said. That is why Cabiltes, who signed a threeyear contract with EAC, implores the entire EAC community to support the Generals as they try to turn the corner in the NCAA.
“I’m just thankful and honored to be part of the EAC family and EAC basketball program. Rest assured that we’re going to work hard and do our best to reach our goal,” he said.
“Hopefully, you (EAC community) are going to support us all throughout the year, this coming NCAA season. I hope you guys can continue to support us and we’re going to give everything that we got this coming NCAA Season 99.”