MANILA, Philippines - Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) champion Southwestern University joins the cream of the collegiate crop in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup, which fires off April 13 at the Filoil Flying Arena in San Juan City.
The Cobras, who thwarted the University of Visayas cagers to claim their first CESAFI crown last season, will be bannered by 6-foot-10 Siewe Armel. The new SWU reinforcement will take over from Ben Mbala, who has transferred to La Salle.
The Cobras’ stint is expected to spice up action in what has long been considered as the testing ground for teams gearing up for the UAAP and NCAA wars.
National University is the defending champion.
The teams are Ateneo, La Salle, University of Santo Tomas, University of the East, San Sebastian College, Letran, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Arellano University and Emilio Aguinaldo College in Bracket B of the two-division tournament.
NU heads Bracket A that includes San Beda College, University of Perpetual Help Dalta System, Far Eastern University, University of the Philippines, Arellano University, College of Saint Benilde, Jose Rizal University and Adamson University.
The event will also feature a slew of talented rookies in La Salle’s Kib Montalbo (from St. John’s Institute in Bacolod), National University’s JJ Alejandro (from Mapua) and Cameroonian Alfred Arogo, Ateneo’s Christopher Newsome (who has completed his two-year residency period after coming over from Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico, USA), University of the Philippines’ Joseph Marata (who returns to Diliman where he spent his high school years after a two-year stint with La Salle), Letran’s Ray Nambatac (who moves up from the Letran Squires to the Knights), and Adamson’s Axel Iñigo (the San Beda Red Cubs point guard who joins the Falcons).
New coaches will also make their debut in the tournament, including Letran’s Caloy Garcia, Ateneo’s Bo Perasol, San Beda’s Boyet Fernandez and FEU’s Nash Racela.
Making a comeback at San Sebastian is Topex Robinson.