Benilde_Blazers_basketball

Benilde Blazers basketball

Benilde Blazers basketball

College basketball team

The Benilde Blazers basketball program represents De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) in men's basketball as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) (NCAA). The Benilde Blazers joined the NCAA in 1998, having been a fixture in the National Capital Region Athletic Association. The Blazers notably won its first and only NCAA title in 2000 under probation.

Quick Facts University, History ...

History

Champions under probation

The Blazers joined the NCAA in 1998. Two years later, they won the championship vs. the San Sebastian Stags, while under probation. The Blazers won just days after their brother team De La Salle Green Archers won the UAAP championship.[1] The Blazers, under the leadership of players such as Mark Magsumbol and Sunday Salvacion developed a rivalry with the Stags, whom they met again the Finals two years later; this time, the Stags won.[2] Dong Vergeire coached the Blazers during this time.[3]

Playoff drought

After this run of qualifying to the playoffs, the Blazers have not made it to this stage of the tournament since.[4] From 2005 until 2007, they were coached by former Benilde player Caloy Garcia; he led them to three consecutive losing seasons.[5] Gee Abanilla and Richard del Rosario next coached the team for the next four years, with the team missing the playoffs on all instances, with Del Rosario resigning in 2012.[6] With new coach Gabby Velasco, the Blazers avoided last place in 2013, then narrowly missed the playoffs in 2014.[7] The next year, the Blazers endured a 17-game losing streak, only to win on their last game, finishing last.[8] Velasco resigned and was replaced by TY Tang.[9] Tang led the Blazers to fifth place finishes in his second and third year of coaching the team, but migrated to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

In 2022, the Blazers appointed Charles Tiu to coach the team.[11] In his first year in NCAA Season 97 would be closest they've gotten to make it to the playoffs where they finished fourth after the elimination round, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, each team met the other teams only once, and a play-in tournament was done in lieu of the second round. It was in the play-in tournament where the Blazers were eliminated.[4]

Finals appearance

Tiu still coached the team on the next season. The Blazers ended the elimination round at the #1 seed.[12] The Blazers qualified to its first Finals appearance in 20 years, defeating the San Beda Red Lions in the semifinals.[13] The Blazers lost in the Finals to the three-peat seeking Letran Knights, though.[14] Will Gozum was named season MVP.[15]

Head coaches

Season-by-season records

More information Season, League ...

Honors

  • Championships:
    • NCAA (1): 2000

See also

Notes

  1. Season postponed to early 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Season postponed to early 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Season postponed to early 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. [1]
    Navarro, June (October 12, 2000). "Benilde sweeps SSC". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. [2]
    Reyes, Marc Anthony (September 21, 2002). "Stampeding Stags snare it anew". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  3. [3]
    Ramos, Gerry (September 20, 2013). "Dong Vergeire, ex-national cage coach, passes away". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  4. [4]
    "Coach Charles Tiu disappointed that CSB will miss Final Four due to new play-in format | NCAA Philippines". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  5. [5]
    "Caloy stays by Guiao's side". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  6. [6]
    "St. Benilde loses coach as Del Rosario steps down". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  7. [7]
    "St. Benilde Blazers can't shake off 'Heartbreak Kids' tag as they fall just short of the semifinals". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  8. [8]
    "St. Benilde eludes winless season with emotional win vs Lyceum". ABS-CBN News. 2016-09-23.
  9. [9]
    Flores-Colina, Celest (2016-11-23). "TY Tang named St. Benilde head coach". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  10. [10]
    Li, Matthew (2021-09-11). "TY Tang migrates to Canada as CSB position now vacant". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  11. [11]
    Masoy, Niel Victor C. (2021-12-03). "St. Benilde appoints Charles Tiu as new head coach". The Manila Times. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  12. [12]
    Jr, Rommel Fuertes (2022-11-24). "NCAA: No. 1 Benilde faces San Beda, Letran battles Lyceum in Final Four". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  13. [13]
    Cruz, Zachi (2022-11-29). "NCAA 98: CSB ends 20-year Finals drought, eliminates San Beda". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  14. [14]
    Ramos, Josef (2022-12-18). "Letran outlasts Benilde, 81-67, in Game 3 to win NCAA title | Josef Ramos". BusinessMirror. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  15. [15]
    Payo, Jasmine (2022-12-11). "CSB's Will Gozum hailed as NCAA Season 98 MVP". RAPPLER. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  16. [16]
    "Salvacion, Blazers' NCAA champion team remember late coach Vergeire with fondness". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  17. [17]
    "Dong Vergeire, ex-national cage coach, passes away". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  18. [18]
    "Abanilla St. Benilde's new coach". The Daily Tribune. 2008-01-21.
  19. [19]
    "Ex-DLSU guard changes stripes, now a UST Tiger". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
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