Ateneo Blue Eaglets open Filoil Flying V campaign

MANILA, Philippines – The second day of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup finds the Ateneo Blue Eaglets making their debut when they clash with the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers in the nightcap of the Friday (April 24) matches at the San Juan Arena.

The Blue Eaglets will be without last year's UAAP Juniors MVP Thirdy Ravena, who has moved up to the seniors team, but will still feature a number of second-generation players who are expected to lead their campaign this year.

Coach Joe Silva will bank on national players Matthew and Mike Nieto as well as Jolo Mendoza. The Nieto twins are the sons of former Ateneo star Jet Nieto, who was a part of the Blue Eagles' 1987-88 back-to-back seniors champions, while Mendoza is the son of former UP Maroons star Jiggs Mendoza, who was a part of the 1986 State U champion squad.

Also expected to hold his own is Shaun Ildefonso, the son of pro Danny Ildefonso, who will share slot duties with Jossier Hassan. The elder Ildefonso is playing with the Meralco Bolts in the PBA.

“This year we don’t really have the height so we will use our experience and speed,” noted Silva about his charges. “We hope that the experience that our three RP team members gained in international competition will be of great help. That is the main thing driving our team this year as we fell short of winning it last year.”

The Blue Eaglets will battle a JRU team that finished fifth in NCAA Juniors competition last season at 6 p.m.

Other squads seeing action are the San Sebastian Staglets, who will take on the UP Junior Maroons at 10:45 a.m.

In Women’s Division play, the FEU Lady Tamaraws will face the UP Lady Maroons at 12:30 p.m. while opening-day winners UST Tigresses will lock horns with UAAP foe Adamson Lady Falcons at 2:15 p.m.

NAASCU squads Rizal Technological University and Centro Escolar, both winless on opening day take each on at 4 p.m.