The picture at the top of the19th Filoil Eco Oil Preseason Cup NCAA bracket is settling in, and most likely there are three teams about to contest the last slot for it’s Final Four. And most often than not, what happens during the preseason, is a sign of portent things to come.
San Beda and JRU sit on the perch of the totem pole with identical five and oh records. The defending NCAA champion has since infused new blood to their already potent roster with Aldous “Super Fly” Torculas with a trio ofast PGs of Quick, Quicker, and Quickest namely Dabao, Jamora, and Marcelo. An energizer bunny type of glue guy, Hustle Hawk brings in the bang inside the paint to a higher level. Add them to a core last year’s champion holdovers and a returning Jomel Puno into the fold, coach Yuri’s (CYE) Band of Bedans are primed up for a another title run.
But JRU, the recent U-Belt titlists are for real. They go head on against the Red and White on Wednesday at 5:00 PM a preview of the top two teams which promises of fireworks. Heavy Bombers will be expected to bring the full armada. Chris Hubilla, Sean Salvador, Ivan Panapaan, and Lawrence Mangubat have a champion pedigree they share as one unit. And with Hubilla and Mangubat having that NCAA Centennial chip DNA, the Shaw Boulevard squad can dish it out with the best of them.
The new look Letran Knights, with Jonathan Moses Manalili bulked up and ready for the mother league, he and his
cohorts remain dangerous and could mess up the potential tea party between JRU and San Beda. And so are Mapua and CSB who are all waiting for a slip up for them to ounce at the leaders.
Where it all begins.
