The Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Premier Cup tournament will celebrate it’s tenth anniversary with the return of the Ateneo Blue Eagles to the tournament.
In a surprising twist to this year’s tournament, the Blue Eagles will be grouped together with rivals De La Salle University Green Archers. Moreover, joining the two fabled squads in Group B are NCAA rivals San Beda College Red Lions and defending NCAA Season 91 champions Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights.
Situated in the other group are defending UAAP Champions Far Eastern University Tamaraws, Season 77 champions National University Bulldogs, and the Jio Jalalon-led Arellano University Chiefs
Here are the groupings for this year’s Premier Cup:
Group A:
Arellano University Chiefs
College of Saint Benilde Blazers
Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals
Far Eastern University Tamaraws
National University Bulldogs
University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas
San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons
Group B:
Adamson University Soaring Falcons
Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles
De La Salle University Green Archers
Lyceum of the Philippine University Pirates
Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights
Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals
San Beda College Red Lions
University of the East Red Warriors
The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers and the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers begged off from joining this year
“This year’s stories will still be about the teams just like in 2011,” Premier Cup tournament director Joey Guillermo said. “Back then, the excitement were brought about by new players coming in like Kiefer Ravena, Greg Slaughter, and Bobby Ray Parks. Now, the interest is because of the changes of coaches, the ones behind the stories, and the rebuilding of the teams.”
“That would always provide the interest of watching the games.”
The league is tentatively scheduled to open on Saturday, April 30. In the first two weeks of the tournament, the elimination round games will be played on Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays while in the final three weeks of the elimination round, Wednesday games will be moved to Thursdays.
“We’re starting very late. Normally, by mid-April, we have already started,” Guillermo added. “As much as we would like to add teams to the tournament, medyo hirap na for us to schedule games.”
The top four teams in each group will move on to the crossover quarterfinals on Tuesday, June 7. The semifinals will be played on June 10 while the winner-take-all Finals will happen on Independence Day.
The final schedule will be released two weeks before the opening date. Moreover, the teams must submit a medical clearance for each of their players in the roster as a preventive measure from the untimely passing of JRU Light Bombers “CJ” Servillon last year.
