Southwestern University’s (SWU) fiery champion head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba emphatically said “no” when asked if he will or not give his blessings to the rumored transfer of star player, Cameroonian big man Ben Mbala.
Alcoseba, a local coaching legend who has won titles for several schools in the collegiate ranks as well as being the braintrust behind the winningest semi-professional squad in the country —the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Cebu Niños—was adamant that Mbala stay with the Cobras in the hopes of continuing the success that they had last year, wherein SWU toppled archrival the University of the Visayas for its very first championship in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament.
“As far as I know, Ben (Mbala) is with us,” Alcoseba added in a brief conversation yesterday noon.
Mbala is at the eye of a recruitment storm reportedly involving the two biggest collegiate basketball powerhouses in the land, the UAAP champions Ateneo Blue Eagles and their bitter rivals the La Salle Green Archers.
The 6-foot-7 forward caught the fancy of the big-name schools after his stellar performance in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, one that included a 41-point explosion at the expense of eventual champion University of Santo Tomas.
A high-ranking La Salle official fired off the other day that they have indeed managed to recruit Mbala, completing a windfall that includes coveted guard Kib Montalbo from Bacolod.
However, Mbala himself, confirmed yesterday that he has yet to make up his mind and will hopefully come up with a decision in a month or so. He also expressed confusion over La Salle’s claims considering that nobody has approached him or talked to him after the PCCL.
“I’m still thinking about it. In around a month, I’ll come up with a decision. I’ve talked with Ryan (Aznar) and coach Yayoy (Alcoseba) but the final decision will be up to me,” Mbala said in a conversation yesterday.