NU seeks to build momentum, tests reeling Gilas cadets

MANILA, Philippines – The Gilas cadets and the young, talented and hungry National University Bulldogs are coming your way in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup.

Although the Bulldogs of second-year head coach Jamike Jarin sport a slightly better record at 1-3 as opposed to the latter’s 1-4, NU’s players have more or less gotten the system and play as a team. This is more than can be said for the cadets due to the lack of practice or even lacking a complete lineup.

“We haven’t really had a complete lineup,” underscored national coach Jong Uichico. “Many of the players are still with their mother teams — the school teams. We’ve had players taking on roles they are unfamiliar with like JJ Alejandro or even Ricci Rivero playing the point guard spot when it isn’t their natural position. They can play it in stretches or assist in running plays but not full time. It takes away from what they do well. But this is all part of the learning process. No excuses.”

Nevertheless, the youthful nationals have their work cut out for them when they battle NU on at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

In the day’s other offerings, a pair of undefeated sides part ways when Far Eastern University and College of St Benilde collide at 12:30 p.m. FEU is 3-0 while a much-improved CSB side is at 2-0. FEU has a veteran-laden squad led by Jasper Parker, Hubert Cani and their national players in Arvin Tolentino and Kenneth Tuffin, while CSB has played to the beat of rapidly improving point guard Unique Naboa and veterans Yankee Haruna and Clement Leutcheu.

Following that match, a pair of struggling and winless squads in Jose Rizal University and the University of Santo Tomas take on each other on at the 2:15 p.m. slot. JRU is 0-3 while UST is at 0-2. Both sides sport youthful sides although JRU has a better corps of frontline players with newcomers Jarvy Ramos, Junmark Silvarez and Kenneth Dulalia; while UST gets by with stretch players like Zach Huang and Enrique Caunan. African player Steve Akomo will return but it isn’t clear when he will be activated for duty.

The Hanes One-on-One King of the Hardcourt returns with Ateneo’s rookie Jason Credo squaring off with San Sebastian’s Kevin Baytan after the JRU-UST match at 4 p.m.

For the day’s penultimate game, Adamson makes its tournament debut, and they immediately lock horns with a tough and deep Letran side that can play big or small. Adamson is just coming off a successful PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup campaign where they made the semifinals. Adamson has been hurt by the off-season departures of Nikko Paranada, who went back to the United States while Tyrus Hill and Kurt Lojera transferred to La Salle. The Soaring Falcons still have Papi Sarr, Sean Manganti, Jerick Ahanmisi, Simon Camacho, Jonathan Espeleta, as well as the impressive Jerome Lastimosa and Egie Boy Mojica. 

In the day’s lone juniors tussle, Ateneo de Cebu battles National University at 10 a.m.