It will be a heated Saturday inside the Greenhills West Gym as the 2018 SMART City Hoops Summer Classic will crown two new champions while two of the biggest collegiate programs in the country today face off in a win-or-go-home quarterfinals tilt.
In the 25-under division, Bright Akhuetie and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons take on a reloaded Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates at 2:30pm.
After playing most of their Team B players during the elimination round of this tournament that is presented by Chooks-to-Go, the Pirates will play their Seniors Team sans CJ Perez and MJ Ayaay, who are currently in America for skills training.
This will also be the first time Bright Akhuetie and Mike Nzeusseu face-off since their epic encounter in the NCAA back in August of 2016.
Opening the day are two championship bouts.
To open the day at 12:00nn, Andre Minas and the La Salle Green Hills Greenies take on Geof Lopez and San Sebastian Staglets in the 12U championship.
The Justin Tan-mentored La Salle handily defeated San Sebastian during the elimination round via a 27-point rout.
Lopez and the duo of Carl Galuindez and Lebron Manding though will have to contain not only La Salle’s senior players but also the troika of Camilo Jugo, Brian Hachuela, and Gian Gomez.
The game will be followed up by the 10U Finals pitting neighbors La Salle Green Hills and Xavier School.
La Salle, who swept the elimination round, will heavily rely on the tandem of Dominic Tuason and Dwayne Nonato.
Stallions ace Andrew Chio will look to continue Xavier’s Cinderella run as they have gone through the ringer to reach this point in the tourney that has Rain or Shine Elasto Paint, Wilson Basketball, and Cignal TV as partners.
