Gilas U-23, Ateneo de Cebu spice up 12th Filoil season

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – It has been four years since teams outside the usual NCAA and UAAP teams graced the Filoil Flying V Pre-season Cup. The last was 2014 when teams like the Holy Trinity Wildcats from General Santos City, the Centro Escolar University Scorpions, St. Clare Saints and the University of Visayas Green Lancers participated.

While the 12th season of the Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Cup tips off April 21 featuring an explosive encounter between UAAP juniors champions Ateneo Blue Eaglets and NCAA Juniors titlists La Salle Greenhills Greenies battling in the 2:30 p.m. opener and De La Salle University and a stacked and loaded University of the Philippines tangling at 4:30 p.m., all eyes will also be on the Gilas Under-23 team that will battle UAAP men’s champions Ateneo in the nightcap at 6:30 p.m.

The junior national team will feature players named to the national pool who could be considered for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.  Who will be playing for the nationals has yet to be determined as their practices run concurrent to the preparations by their mother teams.

Aside from the Gilas Under-23 squad, the other new squad in the preseason tournament is the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles, who will participate in the juniors tournament.

And the new preseason cup will also serve as a preview for the upcoming NCAA and UAAP seasons where school squads parade rookies, transferees and even new coaches. There’ll be new wrinkles to the old format.

The seniors tournament will see old faces in new uniforms.

Over in Group A, JD Tungcab, a former Adamson star, makes his Filoil debut with the stacked and loaded UP Fighting Maroons, who are favorites to win the UAAP with the addition of former Perpetual Help Altas star Bright Akhuetie.

Former Mapua Cardinal Darell Menina joins National University along with former Ateneo Blue Eagle Shaun Ildefonso. Highly touted rookie Dave Ildefonso of last season’s UAAP juniors champions, Ateneo Blue Eaglets, also makes his NU debut.

Former San Sebastian Stag Rhanzelle Yong will also see action for a loaded Lyceum of the Philippines University team.

Adding firepower to a Letran team that has lost Rey Nambatac to the pros are Christian Fajarito (formerly of College of St. Benilde), Fran Yu and Edson Batiller (formerly of UE), and Larry Muyang (who suited up for La Salle three seasons ago).

And speaking of UE, Melvin Reyes will also make his coaching debut for the Red Warriors after a long search that saw NU Bullpups and Chiang Kai Shek College coach Goldwin Monteverde and former KIA coach Chris Gavina offered the slot that they eventually turned down. Former coach Derrick Pumaren stepped down four months ago.

Another “new” coach is Aldin Ayo, who will make his debut with UST after transferring from La Salle. Two years ago, Ayo, left the Knights after leading them to the NCAA Season 91 championship. He guided the Green Archers to back-to-back finals appearance, winning it all in Season 79.

Ayo’s longtime first lieutenant, Louie Gonzales, who was with him from Letran to KIA to La Salle, takes over the head coaching reigns of the Green Archers.

In the elimination round, teams will only play against the teams in their group. The top four squads of each group in terms of win-loss record will advance to the quarterfinal round. For the juniors division, the top two sides advance to the semifinals.