Tams test Phl U-18 in Filoil Premier Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern University tests the mettle of the Phl Youth Under-18 team in the main game today in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the San Juan Arena.

The Tamaraws, opening day conquerors of Mapua, 89-77, will go up against Coach Jamike Jarin’s national team that will be competing in the SEABA and possibly the FIBA U-18 championships.

The Phl Youth team will be bannered by a number of players also currently competing in the Filoil tournament – Ranbill Tongco of San Beda, Paul Desiderio of UP, Henry Asilum of UP, Renzo Subido of La Salle, and even FEU’s own Richard Escoto.

“This will be a further test for us as we work towards our overall team chemistry and our system,” said Tamaraws head coach Nash Racela. “At the same time, this will prove to be good training ground for them in preparation for international competition. It’s a win-win proposition for us as we all go up against the best in college basketball.”

Other schools seeing action on the fourth day of the country’s top pre-season collegiate basketball tournament are Mapua vs Lyceum at 12:30 p.m. and Emilio Aguinaldo College opposite current NAASCU champion Centro Escolar University at 2:15 p.m.

The day’s Juniors Division matches include UP-Malayan-Mapua at 10:45 a.m. and Jose Rizal University-Letran at 5:45 p.m.

The Junior Maroons currently tote a 1-1 record with their win coming at the expense of San Sebastian and the loss inflicted upon them by UST. The Malayan-Mapua Red Robins lost to FEU last Wednesday. The junior squads of JRU and Letran make their Filoil debut today.

Tickets  are available at all SM TicketNet outlets as well as at the game venue.

The pre-season collegiate basketball tournament is sponsored by Filoil, Flying V, Total, Hanes, Timex, Starmobile, San Miguel Corp., Meralco, BDO, Silverworks, Gatorade, Gerry’s Grill, Reyes Barbecue, LGR, Brothers Burger, BPI, PBCom, Molten, CDO, Bayo, Douwe Egberts, Oxycan, Red Logo and Bacchus.