Familiar programs hug the leader board limelight in the UAAP bracket of the 19th Filoil Eco Oil Preseason Cup at the Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan.
Four-peat seeking UP Fighting Maroons who are in their annual skill building activities abroad, are about to return and assert their dominance of their group.
Stacked across all positions, coach Goldwin Monteverde’s wards are humming at this point. Elite floor leader, Noy Remogat, a marquee named in college basketball remains the bomb and at the same time the detonator that makes Team Diliman tick. Gani Stevens, mans the paint, while Jacob Bayla reprises his role as an excellent floor spacer but with more range.
The defending UAAP champions, the lowest seed ever to win it all during the Final Four era, since it was introduced in ’94, coach Topex Robinson’s underdog pack has more bite than bark this time. Winning close games via defense and showing poise under pressure when they need offense to pull through. Best PG in college basketball, Jacob Cortez, is primarily the main reason. Then there is bull-strong Vhoris Marasigan, who is the yin to Earl Abadam’s yang, the high character on this pair is off the charts. Motor Mike Phillips must have left them some his Pixie dust for good measure. Tenured vets Mase Amos, Lebron Daep, Doy Dungo, Jan Macalalad, Ryle Melencio, who all have championship pedigree returns to bolster their drive in this year’s preseason and the coming UAAP jousts.
UST and NU remains solid the rest of the way. Although it’s early to tell, Adamson despite skidding in the tournament, is known to pull off surprises in their mother league. Coach Nash Racela has made a reputation of being a spoiler, much to the delight of the Adamson community.
Watch the games live at the Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan, buy tickets at popular prices at the box office of via Ticket.Net. Or watch the games over the internet, through the streaming facilities of PusoP.com. Download their app from the Google and Apple stores.
Where it all begins.
