The EAC Generals had high hopes entering Season 93. Boasting a dominant frontcourt tandem in Sidney Onwubere and Hamidou Laminou, achieving a breakthrough Final Four stint was highly possible.
Unfortunately, their campaign took a huge blow when Laminou suffered a torn ACL in his right knee just five games into the season. Their chances continued to slip away as more injuries plagued the team. Things did not pan out for the Generals, who finished in seventh place with a 7-11 record.
This Season 94, coach Ariel Sison is optimistic that his players can pull off some surprises.
"I can assure you that this team will be a dark horse in the coming season," he confidently said.
With double-double machine Onwubere and veteran guard Francis Munsayac gone from the lineup, Sison is counting on gunner Jerome Garcia, Fil-Am forward Juju Bautista, and the recovering Laminou to lead the way.
Fresh faces will also be joining the fold, including Maui Cruz, a high-scoring standout from EAC's juniors team.
"We're trying to create synergy now. We're getting the new players to fit into the team," said Sison.
When asked what he wants to see from the Generals this year, Sison responded that he's expecting more consistency on defense.
"Our problem last year was our interior defense because we lost our defensive player in the middle," he explained, referring to Lamidou's unexpected absence. "So one of the things that I want to see is how we play defense, which we're trying to improve everyday."
The third-year EAC tactician is also hoping that they can execute their fast-paced offense, which he thinks will be their advantage over other teams.
"What we're trying to emphasize in our practice is a running game, a transition game. That's the only way that we can score on our opponent. We're working on our traps and our fastbreaks," Sison shared.
It's going to be a tough uphill climb, however. The Generals are coming off a winless run in the 12th Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup where they absorbed multiple blowout losses, including a 64-point beating at the hands of eventual champion Ateneo.
"We admit that we've been losing games, but coach Ariel always tells us to stay positive," said Garcia about their preseason campaign. "Our import (Laminou) has not yet played. Our Fil-Am (Bautista) has only played twice. Maybe the team will get better once we're complete."
The graduating Garcia, who averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists last season, is expected to step up on both ends of the floor.
"It's very difficult because we lost key players. I adjusted a lot, thinking of my new role as a veteran. I don't need to match what Munsayac or Onwubere did but I want to level myself up for my last year," the former Adamson player noted.
Sison admits that they still have a lot to work on to reach the level of the league's usual contenders. But he assures the EAC community that their quest for an elusive semifinal berth continues.
"I'm positive that we can get more wins. We had seven wins last year, and as much as possible, we want to double that. We'll do everything to reach the Final Four," vowed Sison.