Mapua Lady Cardinals coach Clarence Esteban is mighty proud of how much the system has developed throughout the years, especially after taking over a team that had gone winless.
“Actually, noong time na nahawakan ko to, hindi naman sa ano pero winless team talaga nung time na ‘yun,” Esteban pointed out in an exclusive interview with Rebanse. “Pero syempre, sa program namin, sa system namin, and then sa recruitment… ‘yung sa systema namin na-adapt na lang [nila] and gumaganda ‘yung team.”
Those winless days are, indeed, in the past. In fact, the Lady Cardinals now have the chance to complete an upset of the second-seeded San Beda Lady Red Spikers, whom they beat on March 17 to send this quarterfinals clash to a decider later today. The winner will advance to the semis of the NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Clarence Esteban Wants Lady Cardinals Sharing the Wealth
In that win over San Beda, four Lady Cardinals scored in double digits. And that’s exactly how Clarence Esteban likes it.
“Actually nasa training namin, nasa systema ‘yan. Hindi sa lahat ng oras is siya [Raissa Ricablanca] ‘yung aatake,” he explained. “Mayroon kasi kaming sistemang ginagawa na kung ano ni setter inaalam namin paano i-distribute ‘yung bola, inaalam namin kung kanino ba namin ibibigay so na-aapply ni [Angellick] Gavica ‘yung ganung klaseng sistema.”
That system saw Aleck Leabres fire 13 points, with Freighanne Garcia and Nicole Ong adding 12 apiece. Ricablanca, who has so far been Mapua’s undisputed best player, had 10. Gavica, for her part, had 19 excellent sets.
Needless to say, that Mapua system worked.
Double the Effort for Mapua
In today’s decider, Clarence Esteban vowed that his Lady Cardinals will double their effort to complete the upset.
“Sa preparation namin, kailangan namin mas mag-double pa. Kailangan namin maghanda pa, lalo kasi siguradong maghahanda si Beda sa amin pero hindi kami syempre basta magpapabaya din na basta lang matalo,” he said.
With a Final Four date with the Letran Lady Knights at stake, the 47-year-old mentor said that the team will give their 100% in order to advance further.
Clarence Esteban and his Lady Cardinals will play the Lady Red Spikers later this Friday, 2:30 p.m., in Biñan, Laguna.
