IT was good while it lasted.
Coach Boyet Fernandez’s seven-year stint at the helm of San Beda University came to a screeching halt yesterday.
“Thank you so much to everyone, your messages give me strength in these trying times, so long until we meet again! God bless us all,” Fernandez said.
“For six NCAA seasons I coached, we had six Final Fours, five finals appearances, and four seniors’ basketball crowns, it was not bad, but I know I came up short with all your expectations last season and I will take all the blame for that,” he added.
Chooks-to-Go 3×3 head trainer Aldin Ayo, who guided Letran to a title in 2015 and La Salle in the UAAP in 2016, multi-titled tacticians Louie Alas and Frankie Lim, and Yuri Escueta are said to be being considered for the San Beda coaching job.
In his seven seasons with the team, first from 2013-2014 and, later on 2017-2022, Fernandez had an 86-13 record in the elimination round and a 16-4 card in the playoffs.
A nurse by profession and also a champion strategist with defunct Sta. Lucia in the PBA, Fernandez won four titles for San Beda.
The Red Lions failed in their four-peat bid in 2019, falling to Letran in the finals in three games.
With a young core led by the likes of Fil-Canadian James Kwekuteye, JB Bahio, and Franz Abuda, the Mendiola-based dribblers finished with a 7-2 card for third after the eliminations of the 97th NCAA basketball tournament.
The Lions hurdled No. 4 College of St. Benilde in their play-in duel to advance to the Final Four.
San Beda negated the Cardinals’ twice-to-beat advantage but lost in their knockout match 67-70, missing the Big Dance for the first time since 2005.
Aside from Fernandez, 50, also gone for the Lions are assistant coaches JB Sison, Gino Manuel, Joey Mendoza, conditioning coach LA Ratio, physical therapist Michael Sunga, and Jeric Estrada. — Michael Jugado
