By Jean Malanum

NEW COACH. Olcen Racela signs a contract as new Perpetual Altas head coach at the University of Perpetual Help’s Las Piñas campus on Thursday night (Jan. 11, 2023). Racela won many titles with San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Basketball Association. (Photo from Perpetual Facebook page)

MANILA – Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) star Olsen Racela will be calling the shots for the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) senior basketball coach in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100.

“It’s official, there’s a new head (coach) in town —welcome coach Olsen Racela to Perpetual. We are psyched to see you on the hard court,” the team, through its social media account, said on Friday.

Racela signed his contract on Thursday night at UPHSD’s Las Piñas campus in the presence of team manager Anton Tamayo, former Altas Scottie Thompson, school athletic director Frank Gusi and Myk Saguiguit, who will remain in the Altas coaching staff.

Perpetual is eyeing a bigger and better performance in the next season with the appointment of Racela, who is expected to hold his first practice session on Monday.

Under Saguiguit, the Altas finished tied for fifth with host Jose Rizal University on 10-8 records last season.

Hopefully, the Racela-mentored UPHSD can make it to the Final Four and eventually earn a shot at a historic NCAA crown when the grand old league holds its 100th season.

Fifteen players, including Jun Roque, Cyrus Nitura, John Abis, Mark Omega and Christian Pagaran, are still in the lineup. (PNA)