Altas tap Racela new head coach

MANILA, Philippines — Olsen Racela officially signed in as University of Perpetual Help’s new basketball coach Thursday night with high hopes of finally cracking the Final Four after coming close to achieving such in Season 99.

“We’re happy to have coach Olsen in the team,” said UPHSD management committee representative Frank Gusi.

Racela was with Gusi, team manager Anton Tamayo, star alumnus Scottie Thompson and former head coach Myk Saguiguit when he sealed the deal at the school’s Las Piñas campus.

Saguiguit will remain in the coaching staff.

Racela brings with him a rich experience and a decorated past after having won nine PBA titles as a player and 10 crowns as a PBA assistant.

He was also a former coach of the national youth team and the Far Eastern U Tams for several years in the UAAP before making the jump.

Racela will have an abundance of talent as he had inherited 15 holdovers from Saguiguit’s team from last season that included Jun Roque, Cyrus Nitura, John Abis, Mark Omega and Christian Pagaran.

UPHSD finished at joint fifth with Jose Rizal U with 10-8 records a season ago, or one win short of claiming a Final Four spot.