NU, FEU, Arellano to make Filoil debut

MANILA, Philippines – Three seeded college basketball teams make their Filoil Flying V Premier Cup debut on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan along with five other squads. 

 

The five-match bonanza will find the Arellano University Chiefs, who will be one of the favorites to compete for the next NCAA championship with its largely untouched roster, will take on Emilio Aguinaldo College at 11:15 a.m.

 

Despite losing workmanlike forwards Nicholle Bangga and Mark Tano, the Jerry Codiñera-coached Chiefs remain talented and deep. They will go to at least an eight-man rotation led by the flashy and quicksilver-quick point guard Jiovani Jalalon who made the NCAA’s Mythical Five last campaign. Codinera will also count on the explosive Michael Salado, Brylle Meca, center Dioncee Holts, long range bomber Zach Nicholls, bruising forward-center Julius Cadavis, the steady Donald Gumaru, and streak shooting forward Allen Enriquez. 

 

The Chiefs finished at 12-6 last season and missed the Final Four only by quotient. Two seasons ago, this team made the NCAA Finals only to be scuttled by five-peat seeking San Beda.

 

Reigning UAAP champions Far Eastern University take the hardcourt afterwards against San Sebastian College-Recoletos at 1:30pm with a bunch of missing pieces from their title run of a year ago. Using up the playing eligibility are Mike Tolomia, Russel Escoto, Roger Pogoy, Al Francis Tamsi, and Mac Belo although head coach Nash Racela still has Monbert Arong, Ron Dennison, Richard Escoto, Achi Iñigo, Joel Lee Yu, Prince Orizu, Raymar Jose, and Joel Allen Trinidad who all figured prominently in the rotation. The Holmqvist brothers, Ken and Steve, are expected to play bigger roles this year.

 

The National University Bulldogs open their Filoil campaign against the College of Saint Benilde Blazers at 5 p.m. The Bulldogs will be without point guard stud Gelo Alolino, defensive specialist Pao Javelona, forward Kyle Neypes, Reden Celda, and Jeff Javillionar who have all graduated. But the holdovers — point guard Rev Diputado, shooting guard JJ Alejandro, power forward Meds Salim, and center Alfred Aroga will get plenty of help from some bench players who contributed late in the season. There’s swingman Dave Yu, forward Ralph Tansingco, and 6’7” center Tzaddy Rangel.

 

New additions to this team include shooting guard JV Gallego, the former Chiang Kai Shek College star who had to wait an extra year before suiting up because of academic problems, shooter Matt Salem, who transferred from La Salle, and 6’7” center Matthew Aquino, who transferred from Adamson. Said NU head coach Eric Altamirano, the new players will ease the scoring burden on our team that had to heavily lean on Alolino and Aroga last year. While we lost solid veterans, we feel we have some very good additions in return.”

 

The San Sebastian Golden Stags will parade a new head coach in former varsity star Edgar Macaraya who won NCAA championships in the 1980s playing alongside Paul Alvarez and Eugene Quilban. The Stags will be without center Bradwyn Guinto who is now in the PBA and guard Jamil Ortuoste who will be concentrating in earning his diploma and playing in the D-League. Macaraya will have to count on veterans guard Ryan Costelo, do-it-all forward Michael Calisaan, Rhanzelle Yong, and Jerick Fabian. Moving up to the team is center Jerwyn Guinto, younger brother of Bradwyn.

 

Other matches for the Premier Cup Wednesday include Lyceum of the Philippines University opening the day’s competition against Mapua at 9:30 a.m. and the University of Perpetual Help Altas taking on the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at 3:15 p.m.

 

Tickets to the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup are available at the gate as well as all Ticketnet outlets.