Is Arnold Van Opstal out of the Green Archers’ lineup?

Is AVO out of the Green Archers’ lineup?

by rick olivares

When the De La Salle Green Archers take to the San Juan Arena on April 18 when the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup tips off, they will be without a familiar face in the middle – Arnold Van Opstal.

In the line-up submitted by third year head coach Juno Sauler, he listed holdovers Matt Salem, Julian Sargent, Jason Perkins, Jeron Teng, Prince Rivero, Thomas Torres, Kib Montalbo, Darryl Pascual and Abu Tratter; transferees Joshua Torralba from Emilio Aguinaldo College as well as Larry Muyang and Renzo Navarro from San Sebastian College; and rookies Jayboy Gob from La Salle Greenhills, Andrei Caracut from San Beda High School, and Jollo Go from Hope Christian High School.  

When I asked DLSU assistant coach Paolo Sauler, he merely said that was the lineup submitted to him.

Van Opstal is currently practicing with Sinag, the junior national team that will compete in a few weeks in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association this April and the Southeast Asian Games in June. Both tournaments will be held in Singapore. He is joined by former teammates Almond Vosotros and Norbert Torres. Curiously, Rivero and Teng are also with Sinag.

The 6’9” Van Opstal, who has one more playing year left, manned the slot for La Salle during its UAAP Season 76 title run. Van Opstal isn’t the only one who isn’t on the Green Archers’ lineup. Guards Robert Bolick moved to San Beda while Terrence Mustre transferred down the block to Adamson.