PBA: NorthPort coach has high hopes for rookie Cade Flores.

While the anticipation for first round pick Zavier Lucero is at an all-time high, NorthPort is also looking forward to fielding another one of its first-rounders in Cade Flores.

Flores, who was chosen by the Batang Pier as the 11th overall pick in the 2023 PBA Draft, will be treated the same way JM Calma did.

And coach Bonnie Tan is more than excited to make it happen.

'Same treatment as JM Calma, who I also faced in the NCAA. I can't forget Arellano beating Letran because Cade was the best player in that game,' said Tan in Filipino during the PBA Media Day at One Esplanade in Pasay on Tuesday.

'I'm excited that that type of opponent will be my player.'

Tan was pertaining to the game back in September of last year when Arellano snapped Letran's 14-game winning streak.

Flores was the best player of that game with 18 points and nine rebounds and it seemed like then-Knights coach Tan was keeping tabs since then.

'Hopefully, we get to use Cade like JM in the last conference where he (JM) met the...