Filoil Cup: Tams to lean on talented backcourt

MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern University, twice runner-up to Ateneo in the UAAP the last two years, hopes to come out on top this time with a team teeming with talent.

The Tamaraws are raring to showcase their stuff right in the 2012 Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Hanes Cup, presented by Bostik Phils., Inc. unfolding next month with former UAAP MVP RR Garcia teaming up anew with Terrence Romeo and the vastly improved Mike Tolomia.

Easily, they form the most formidable backcourt combination in the ranks, making the Morayta cagers one of the early favorites in the upcoming pre-season tournament beginning April 14 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

FEU, however, lost a few good men who operate around the paint, including Chris Excaminiano, Jens Knuttel, Pipo Noundou, JR Cawaling, John Foronda and Aldrech Ramos.

But FEU coach Bert Flores is confident the likes of Carl Cruz, Russell Escoto, Mark Bringas and Roger Pogoy will step up and provide the needed inside strength and threat.

But while FEU still looks formidable with their host of shooters, University of the East continues to build from scratch after turning in a dismal seventh place finish in last year’s UAAP.

Second year coach Jerry Codiñera, however, is upbeat of their chances heading to the pre-season Filoil Flying V Hanes Cup tourney, held in cooperation with Total Phils and supported by major backers BDO, Bayo and Molten, the official ball.

“Again, I consider our team to still be underdogs but we’ll do the necessary things to improve our season this time around with more maturity and familiarity,’’ said Codiñera.

The Warriors lost three key players in Paul Zamar, Biboy Enguio and Lucas Tagarda to graduation, and are left with holdovers Lord Casajeros, Roy Sumang, John Noble and upstart BJ Zosa.

Another team to watch out in the pre-season is National University, which placed fifth in the last year’s UAAP.

The Bulldogs will still rely on last year’s UAAP MVP awardee Bobby Ray Parks Jr., with teammates Emmanuel Mbe, Glenn Khobuntin, Cedric Labing-isa, Denice Villamor, Jeff Javillonar and Joseph Terso  expected to provide added firepower.

‘’We all know what we can get from him (Parks). It’s now about the other players fitting well,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano.