By Rick Olivares
EVEN as all eyes will be on the second matches in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup for Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle, much of the scrutiny will be on the defending champion Letran, which takes on Lyceum on Friday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The Knights lost two of their biggest stars in Mark Cruz and Kevin Racal, who are both now in the professional ranks, but also their head coach in Aldin Ayo, who is now handling the Green Archers. However, they do have another champion coach in tow with former National University (NU) Bullpups Coach Jeff Napa, who has three University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) juniors titles to his name.
Napa can still count on a sizable core of heady veterans in Rey Nambatac, McJour Luib, Bong Quinto, Felix Apreku, JP Calvo, and Jom Sollano, who all played key roles in last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title run.
Former Letran juniors star Jerrick Balanza, with a year of seniors experience under his belt, figures to play a bigger role from the small forward position. Six-foot-five center Christian Balagasay showed some promise last season when he came in for Sollano at the slot. Like Balanza, he is expected to step up his game.
“It is easy to say we are not as strong since we lost Mark and Kevin,” Napa explained. “But we also expect the younger players, especially Jerrick and Christian, to step up in their game. They had a year to learn what college basketball is like. Now this is their chance to shine. Aside from the development of the younger players, part of our challenge, as well is to make sure that everyone knows their roles and will play that trademark Letran defense.”
Letran will be playing opening-day winners Lyceum at the 11:15am match that opens the seniors competitions. The Pirates beat back repeated attacks by Mapua, 91-82, behind the trio of Wilson Baltazar, Jasper Ayaay and Jebb Bulawan, who combined for 45 points and 22 rebounds.
In other Filoil matches, two opening-day winners, La Salle and University of East (UE), part ways immediately after at 2 p.m., while the Adamson-Ateneo face-off is at 4 p.m.
The Green Archers fended off late rallies from the Soaring Falcons in a 98-88 win, while the Red Warriors rallied from a seven-point deficit with two minutes to play to defeat the Blue Eagles in overtime, 93-91, during the Premier Cup opening day on April 30.
La Salle, under Ayo, has been trying to master full-court pressure defense, one that UE similarly employs and has had two seasons to master.
“I can’t say who will win but it will be interesting to find out,” said Red Warriors Coach Derrick Pumaren, who coached La Salle to its first two UAAP championships in 1989 and 1990. He also played for both UE and La Salle in the early 1980s, transferring to the latter school when his father, Pilo Pumaren, was hired as coach of the Green Archers.
In juniors play, Lyceum and San Beda take each other at 9:30 a.m., while the Blue Eaglets face their Adamson counterparts at 6 p.m.
Tickets to the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup are available at the Filoil Flying V Centre gate or at Ticketnet.