REPRESENTED by the red and white colors of SBCA, the Women’s Basketball team emanated astounding energy on the court with their dedication and harmonious teamwork. THE BEDAN HERALD interviewed Team Bene together with their coach, Sir Jayen Cruz on how the team maintained their passion for the sport as their top priority despite the obstacles they have encountered over the years. 

Dream Team!

Team Bene consists of players from grade school, high school, and tertiary level under the supervision of Coach Jayen Cruz who has been in charge since 1996 with Assistant Coach Lovette Macalinga, an alumna of the team. 

Raenielle Cruz (IV-BAIS-PGER), the team’s shooting guard since 2018, said that despite the constant misunderstandings in and out of the court, and hard training, Team Bene eventually cultivated teamwork. She also shared how the members started to “be more understanding of each other and learned to communicate in a way that is best understood by everyone,” as their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) South journey continued. 

With the help of their exceptional teamwork and the unwavering support from their coaches, Team Bene has secured and brought home numerous achievements. Their most recent victory involved proudly finishing their NCAA South Season 24 journey, securing a third-place award with team members Raenielle Cruz, Kiara Villanueva (II-BSBA-FM), Patricia Dandan (IV-BACMS), Alyssa Carbonell (II-BSBA-MM), and Diana Jayno (II-BSBA-FM). 

Rebound and Rise

Similar to other teams, Team Bene also experienced various challenges throughout their journey including recruitment and funding. Patricia Dandan, the team’s co-captain since 2021, said, “Sa sports industry nowadays, scholarship na yung tinitignan ng mga students kasi hindi lahat privileged to study in a university or college.” Most of their players are scholars who balance their commitment to academics and sports and reside in the campus athlete’s dormitory. Thus, making it hard for them to provide necessities for themselves. And since the school only offers 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% scholarships (tuition fee only), it has been difficult for them to recruit athletes primarily due to financial constraints, which makes it tough for them to enroll and play for the team. 

As a result, the idea of the “Dugong Bedista” fundraising campaign emerged from a Team Bene alumni that started this year. Its ultimate goal is to help athletes who are struggling financially. Thanks to the merchandise they sold to the SBCA community, the team managed to gather funds and aid the players they recruited to process their applications and officially enroll. Currently, they are offering a wide range of merchandise such as t-shirts for P500, jackets for P1500, and P800 jerseys all available in red and white color. Those interested in these products can contact Patricia Dandan and Raenielle Cruz on Facebook for inquiries. 

Team Bene’s Unstoppable Drive

 Moreover, the coaches played an essential role in binding the team together whenever they are losing the drive. Coach Cruz shared that since the majority of them have scholarships, it has become their primary motivation to excel in academics while also focusing on the sport. He left a message for the SBCA community — to keep and value the strong sense of school spirit. “We always experience that minsan home game tayo, pero parang very little interest,” he shared. 

It is disheartening for the players since they only receive minimal support from the students. Hence, this serves as a reminder that as students, it is important to establish an enthusiastic environment throughout the matches and support all the athletes who are proud representatives of SBCA, embodying the unconquerable attitude of the Red Lions. Currently, Team Bene is gearing up for the upcoming Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) Season 54.