NEXT man up, it is for the University of the Philippines, as it embarks on a quest for a fourth consecutive championship in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
That much was true on Sunday, as the Fighting Maroons rode talented transferee Veejay Pre's game-long brilliance to rally past University of Santo Tomas, 82-78, at the Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan.
Pre, who was hailed as UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year before taking his talents to Diliman, fired 17 points on top of four rebounds for a smashing debut in maroon-and-green.
It was old reliables Gani Stevens and Rey Remogat, however, who sealed the deal in the endgame, with the former's inside basket upping State U's lead to five points with 40 ticks to go and the latter's split from the stripe putting the finishing touches on the win.
Remogat wound up with 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and three steals, while Stevens chimed in two markers and six boards.
Life after 'Maroon 5'
For the first time since Goldwin Monteverde was installed as shot-caller, UP didn't have any of its 'Maroon 5,' as it opened its third title defense in the preseason tourney.
After getting punched in the mouth in the opening frame to find themselves trailing by seven, the Fighting Maroons regrouped and outscored the Growling Tigers in the succeeding three quarters, proving they aren't going anywhere with James Payosing, another talented transferee, also contributing seven points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Just like in the last UAAP season, UST shot itself in the foot, as its aggressiveness led by Collins Akowe led to 32 free throws, nine of which were muffed in a four-point loss.
Mark Llemit topped the scoring column with an impressive 22 points to go with five rebounds, as Akowe posted a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double for the Growling Tigers, themselves ushering in a new era without longtime top gun Nic Cabanero.
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