MANILA, Philippines – The College of Saint Benilde and National University battle for the second seed of Group C in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the San Juan Arena on Friday.
The CSB Blazers are at 3-2 and are hoping to knock down the 4-1 NU Bulldogs a peg lower; a feat that will have implications in their quarterfinals standings. Should the Blazers defeat the Bulldogs, by virtue of winner over the other, CSB will move up to the number two spot behind undefeated Centro Escolar University that is at 6-0.
A second seed slot will mean avoiding the top two seeded teams after the elimination round where all teams are ranked based on quotient. The winner means avoiding an early match up with CEU or undefeated Far Eastern University or San Beda College that will also determine their own placing this coming Saturday, May 31.
CSB is relying on veterans Mark Romero, RJ Argamino, Luis Sinco, and Paolo Taha while NU is now led by Glenn Khobuntin, Alfred Aroga, Gelo Alolino, and Troy Rosario.
CSB and NU part ways at 4pm while in the other seniors match of the day, the RP Youth Under-18 National Team and Letran close out their pre-season with their Filoil swansong at 2:15pm.
In other matches, the San Beda Red Cubs and the Letran Squires conclude their elimination round campaign in the day’s curtain raiser at 9am. San Sebastian Staglets take on the UST Tiger Cubs at 10:45am while the La Salle Greenhills Greenies battle the FEU-Fern Baby Tamaraws in the nightcap at 5:45pm. For the lone women’s division match, NU tangles with the UE Amazons at 12:30 noon.
The quarterfinals of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup begins on Monday, June 2.