USC Warriors bare all-Carolinian coaching staff

The new-look USC Warriors are ready for the Cesafi season which opens this Oct. 15. | Photo from Paul Joven via Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines— The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, the former champions of the Cesafi men’s basketball, will have its coaching staff comprised of full-fledged Carolinians for the upcoming season.

Led by famous basketball commentator and former USC Warriors point guard Paul Joven, these Carolinians will lead the team that underwent a complete overhaul for the upcoming season which opens on Oct. 15.

Joining Joven in calling the shots for the Warriors are Luigi Bercede, Gene Noel Gallarde, and Jop Gallardo, along with Kim Adrian Reyes, the son of multi-titled coach Mike Reyes.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Joven, revealed that they needed to hurdle several challenges to form the new-look USC Warriors in time for the upcoming Cesafi season.

“USC was one of the schools affected by Typhoon Odette, so it was one of our challenges. We needed to find a gym to practice. But we managed to overcome it and we’re now training for a month already. But, kulang pa rin, time can only tell how far can we go this season,” said Joven.

Joven is widely known in the VisMin Super Cup and the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) as the energetic commentator for its games.

“But one thing is for sure, we will fight every game like our last,” Joven said.

USC won the Cesafi men’s basketball title in 2015 back when Brett Reroma took the head coaching job. It was a momentous event for USC after ending its title drought since 1958.

For Joven, being USC’s new head coach is a huge responsibility. Despite that, he said he is ready to take on the challenge with the help of fellow Carolinians and Reyes.

“It’s a big responsibility since I’m not only the head coach for college but the sports coordinator as well for juniors. One of my assistants in college is the head coach for juniors Kim Adrian Reyes, son of my former mentor Mike Reyes. Also a good challenge in my young coaching career. I just need to give it all that I have as a coach, a former student-athlete, and a former corporate guy,” Joven narrated.

The USC Warriors’ coaching staff’s first accomplishment was forming the team’s new roster. They did tryouts earlier this year which attracted 230 hopefuls, but only 15 made it to Team A, with nine as reserves.

Currently, they have shooters Froilan Mangubat, Roosvelt Jelianggao and JJ Ranuco. They also recruited PSL 21-U players from the Sherilin-Unisol Mandaue in Acer Go and Real Aureo.

“One thing is for sure, we will represent USC loud and proud. We will fight every game as if it is our last, we may lack in height, but I will ready my team that we will not lack in heart and in effort,” Joven concluded.       /rcg

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