After three years, the country’s premier preseason tournament for collegiate basketball will return.
The 2022 Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup will begin later this month, with 16 teams competing.
Headlining the field are UAAP Season 84 champion University of the Philippines and NCAA Season 98 champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
The two champion squads will be in separate groups.
Joining the Fighting Maroons in Pool A are NCAA runner-up Mapua University, Adamson University, San Beda University, National University, Arellano University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, and Jose Rizal University.
Meanwhile, the Knights are joined by UAAP third placer and former rival De La Salle University, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Far Eastern University, College of Saint Benilde, University of the East, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Noticeably absent from the roster of teams are Ateneo de Manila University and University of Santo Tomas.
San Beda is the defending champion of the tournament.
The Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup organizing committee is chaired by Reynaldo D. Gamboa and assisted by Joey Guillermo and Virgil Villavicencio. Coach Joe Lipa is the Commissioner with Bert del Rosario serving as deputy.