AFTER two long weeks, it all boils down to this one final game.
The University of the Philippines and National University dispute the coveted crown in the PlayTime Cares Filoil EcoOil 18th Preseason Cup presented by ABC Tile Adhesive on Sunday.
There’s no love lost between the two sides and that would certainly be the case in this one-game championship duel set at 5:30 p.m. at PlayTime Filoil Centre in San Juan.
READ: Monteverde's golden touch brings UP to doorstep of Filoil history
For the Fighting Maroons, a crack at history beckons, as they gun for an unprecedented third straight title in the premier preseason league which would enable them to capture the ECJ Perpetual Trophy.
But coach Goldwin Monteverde knows that winning it all won’t be easy.
“We know NU is a tough team and it’s going to be a big challenge for us when we face them,” he said.
READ: Figueroa leads by example in choosing NU over international offer
It’s much of the same case for the Bulldogs, with coach Jeff Napa fully aware of the prowess that the opposition possesses while determined to recapture the trophy they last won back in 2022.
“Hindi magiging madali. Alam naming na underdogs kami sa laban na ito pero ang mahalaga sa amin is we just play our game,” the mentor said.
The two coaches share a long history, as they had been rivals since Monteverde was calling the shots for Adamson in the UAAP juniors where the Bullpups were mentored by Napa.
Then starting UAAP Season 84, Monteverde started steering the ship for State U just as NU handed over the reins to its seniors squad to alumnus Napa.
Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, and Terrence Fortea will lead the charge for the Fighting Maroons, while the Bulldogs will depend on the trio of Jake Figueroa, Jolo Manansala, and Steve Nash Enriquez in the finale of this tilt which has PlayTime Cares, Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Bostik El Heneral, Jiang Nan Hotpot, Lamtex Pipes, Smart, and Puso Pilipinas as major sponsors, Spalding as official game ball, and Harbor Star, Wallem, Akari, BDO, Tela.com Athletics, Nature’s Spring, Reyes Barbecue, and Brothers Burger as minor sponsors.
Filoil final game day also features first ever 3-Point Shootout
The top gunslingers in the amateur ranks will first take the court in the last gameday of the preseason as the Hanes 3-Point Shootout serve as the appetizer at 4:30 p.m.
Fortea and National U’s Reinhard Jumamoy banner the eight-man field which also includes Adamson’s Matty Erolon, University of Santo Tomas’ Kyle Paranada, La Salle’s Mason Amos, University of the East’s John Abate, Benilde’s Ernest Daja, and Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Nico Quinal.
The winner of the competition will bag the P10,000 cash prize and a gift pack from Hanes.
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