CEBU, Philippines - The odds are stuck against them, but the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-backed Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras are out to put on a show when they go up against the best collegiate teams from Manila in the 7th Filoil Flying Premier Cup set to kick off on April 13 at the Arena in San Juan City.
The reigning CESAFI men's basketball champion under the coaching genius of Raul "Yayoy" D. Alcoseba will open their campaign against UAAP grandslam champion Ateneo Blue Eagles at 6 pm this Saturday and thereafter take on the UE Red Warriors, the La Salle Green Archers, the San Sebastian Stags, the Lyceum Pirates, the Letran Knights, the EAC Generals and the UST Growling Tigers in their 25-day stint in the Big City.
Battling against the cream-of-the-crop in the country's collegiate hoopdom is a herculean mission for the Cobras to bear, but team owner Michel J. Lhuillier is highly optimistic that Southwestern U would be able to mount one big fight against a strong field of opposition.
"The competition over there in Manila is very tough, there's no doubt about it," said Lhuillier in a press conference yesterday at Pino Restaurant in Brgy. Apas, this city. "But we're not going there to conquer the best Manila teams but to learn from them. It's a learning process for us. We're going there to sharpen our skills. This could be our training ground to show that we can get better and stronger as a team. That's our goal."
"We have the No.1 coach in Yayoy (Alcoseba) and with the support of the university and the combination of talents we have, I want to show that we have the formula to succeed again. The odds are against us, but we will try to overcome it. I hope we can make it," added the revered businessman/sportsman.
The Cobras take pride for being the lone provincial team invited to play in such a prestigious tournament, mainly cause of their impressive showing in last year's Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL).
Southwestern U then was led by its explosive Cameroonian recruit Benoit Mbala. But the prized 6-foot-7 banger is longer with the Cobras, having shifted his allegiance to the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP.
However, it did not take long for Alcoseba to mold another topgrade SWU squad. To fill in the huge void left by Mbala, the legendary Cebuano bench tactician enlisted another hulking Cameroonian rim-rattler in Fabrice Siewe. He just turned 17 years old last February, but Siewe's 6-foot-11, 220-frame could easily make him an intimidating force on the hardcourt.
Aside from Siewe, Alcoseba has also commissioned the services of former USC stalwarts Jabe Bautista, Nilton John Otida and Mark Panerio as well as Fil-Ams Melvin Holper and Francis Orgeta and Raymart Ocuno to jack up the firepower of their old reliables in Mobert Arong, Bernie Bregondo, Darryl Goloran, Justin Aboude, Merbien Didace, Cris Lopez, and John Pajantoy.
Alcoseba gamely admitted though that with a bunch of newcomers, they have to jell yet as a team and their month-long trip to Manila test their cohesiveness.
"Hopefully we will have a good showing. We joined the tournament to give our players the needed exposure and also to gain experience because playing against the UAAP teams will surely improve our game and our coaching style," said Alcoseba.
If you look at the bigger picture, SWU is really toughening up for a bigger mission and that is to defend their CESAFI crown despite the departure of Mbala.
"We want to prove that we are not shallow [as a team]. We have something more to show," said Lhuillier. "We have to get better than last year to the best of our ability. With the support of everybody and the talents we have around here, I strongly believe that we have all the ingredients to make a champion team". (FREEMAN)