This appears on the May 11, 2015 edition of the Business Mirror.
10 Reasons to Watch
the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup
Part 1
by rick olivares
The Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup has gone from a
merely tune-up tournament that teams didn’t take seriously and where they only
wore practice jerseys to one they take seriously. It also provides an ideal
setting for squads to test rookies and schemes from new coaches.
Here are some reasons for you to check out the best
hoops played outside the PBA this summer.
Is this the
last run for this San Beda era if dominance?
It has been an unparalleled era of dominance for the
Red Lions. This year, they stand to lose seven seniors following the NCAA wars and
there is word that the pipeline of studs to wear the red and white has
dwindled. But that bridge will be crossed when they get there. For now, these
guys keep on trucking and they still play some of the most entertaining
basketball around with some really savvy players in Baser Amer and Art dela
Cruz. And there’s Ola Adeogun who not only has become a very good basketball
player but someone you watch for his funny antics and good-natured heart.
This tournament is one of three major tourneys San
Beda will compete in this season with the others being the NCAA and the
Champions League. Can they achieve a "grand slam" of sorts?
A prayer
was answered for these Perpetual Help Altas
Before Aric del Rosario decided to agree to coach the
Altas the team was in the midst of the fallout of a major tussle with the NCAA
for allegedly fielding ineligible players (it is not true but merely the usual
power tripping to knock down as team on the rise). True to their promise, they
became really good but relied on a Fab Four of players whose production was
90-plus percent of the total team output.
After losing three of those do-it-all players, they
are still trucking behind the amazing Earl Scottie Thompson and newcomer Bright
Akhuetie who is probably the best reinforcement in college basketball at the
moment not named Alfred Aroga. Akhuetie has a great attitude and incredible
athleticism. Really fun to watch. With more experience he will be really
outstanding. On the homegrown side, Gerald Dizon is emerging as a go-to player
but the Altas will be a whole lot more dangerous if Gab Daganon and Ric
Gallardo focus on the task at hand. Aric magic on display for those who missed
UST’s great basketball of the early 1990s.
How does
National University respond to the challenge of the hunted?
It isn’t like the NU Bulldogs have become instant
challengers overnight. They have been good over the last three, four years. They
won every tournament in sight save for the UAAP. That is until last season. Now
there is the confidence of a defending champion in their gait. But it also
means that teams really go hard at them. “If they used to go hard at us
before,” noted junior gunner JJ Alejandro, “now they redoubled their efforts.
They want to prove something to us even if we are clearly not the same team as
last year.”
How different is this team? They try to push it up
with a three-guard line-up at time with Rev Diputado, Gelo Alolino, and Reden
Celda on the floor at the same time. This team is going to run if they can.
The CEU
Scorpions are probably the best team you have never heard of.
Okay so the NAASCU champions played in last year’s
Filoil tournament and turned a lot of heads with their third place finish while
beating some good teams.
Now, if you claim to be a fan of college basketball
(and not merely that of your alma mater), then you must watch these dudes of
coach Edgar Macaraya who play the game the right way. Pass, rebound, hit the
open man, play terrific defense, and hit the open man. Kind of repetitive?
Nope. They average 18 assists as game as led by the amazing Mon Abundo who his
an underrated passer. They’ve got a very good shooter who can attack the rim as
well in Samboy De Leon (named after some Skywalking dude from Letran). They’ve
got a power forward with some nifty moves in the post and probably the best
three-guard rotation in college hoops in Abundo, JK Casiño, and Aaron Jeruta.
And oh, there’s the amazing Rodrigue Ebondo who will give everyone a lesson in
hustle and heart.
How will
these FEU Tamaraws fare?
If you ask me, they could be plenty dangerous. More
so if Prince Orizu can be counted on to score from the post and rebound. Last
year, you weren’t sure what you were getting from Anthony Hargrove day in and
out. The key here is Orizu who backstops a talented team that will lose a lot
of veterans following this season. They still have Mike Tolomia, Roger Pogoy,
Mac Belo, and Russell Escoto, and Achi Iñigo to lead this team. Picking up the
slack from the graduated Carl Cruz is Monbert Arong who first showed his wares
two years ago while playing for Southwestern University during their first
stint in Filoil. Arong is a better offensive player than Cruz and he will add
another dimension to their attack. And there’s guard Jojo Trinidad who will get
a lot of minutes if Francis Tamsi cannot get going.
The trick for the Tamaraws of coach Nash Racela is
trying not to peak to early and in time for the UAAP season. If they manage
that well, these Tamaraws will challenge once more for a Final Four slot.
Games to
watch out for this week at the San Juan Arena:
Wednesday May 13
3:15pm UE vs. CEU
5pm CSB vs. NU
Friday May 15
5pm CEU vs. San Beda
Saturday May 16
3:15pm NU vs. FEU
5pm DLSU vs.
UE
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