IT’S back to scratch for the last eight teams standing in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup.
And the catch is: win or go home time.
De La Salle begins its earnest bid to repeat, as champion when it faces Group B top seed Far Eastern University in at 5 p.m. at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The Green Archers (5-3) snuck in when rival Ateneo faltered by losing its last two matches of the elimination round.
The Tamaraws wound up with a 7-1 record and are a more formidable bunch this year with the activation of their North American backcourt of Jasper Parker and JR Ramirez and the acquisition of former Ateneo Blue Eagles Hubert Cani and Arvin Tolentino.
The Tamaraws will have their hands full against Ben Mbala, who is a cinch to clinch his second straight Most Valuable Player trophy.
The Cameroonian dynamo will also draw help from Aljun Melecio, Andrei Caracut, Abu Tratter and newbies Leonard Santillan and Joshua Gonzales, who transferred from National University (NU) and University of the East, respectively.
Undefeated Group A No. 1 San Beda (8-0) battles Group B fourth seed University of the Philippines (5-3) at 3:15 p.m.
The Fighting Maroons will have leading scorer Paul Desiderio back in harness. Desiderio took some time off to be with family and missed UP’s last two matches.
San Beda has looked imperious in its conquests of Ateneo, De La Salle, and even fancied Lyceum of the Philippines University.
The Red Lions are trying to make a huge splash after missing the Final Four for the first time in last year’s Premier Cup by taking the title this year in preparation for the National Collegiate Athletic Association season that tips off next month.
The Pirates finished second in Group A with a 6-2 record behind a talented squad that has been bolstered by the transfers of CJ Perez (Ateneo) Ralph Tansingco (NU) and twins Jaycee and Jayvee Marcelino.
Lyceum will battle a defensive San Sebastian side—third seed in Group B with a 6-2 record—in the 11:15 a.m. match.
Adamson University, Group B’s second seed with a 6-2 card, meanwhile, takes on a reeling Jose Rizal University that lost its last two assignments in elimination round play to fall to 5-3, at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets to the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup can be purchased through TicketNet or at the gate of the Filoil Flying V Centre.