Filoil debut: Eaglets tackle Light Bombers

MANILA, Philippines — Minus last season’s biggest star, Ateneo hopes to come out just as formidable at the start of its campaign in the juniors division of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup Friday.

The Blue Eaglets, who lost last year’s MVP Thirdy Ravena to graduation, clash with the Jose Rizal U Light Bombers in the last of a five-game bill at 5:45 p.m. at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

“This year we don’t really have the height, so we will use our experience and speed,” said Blue Eaglets coach Joe Silva.

University of the Philippines, which bowed to University of Santo Tomas, 86-91, in the juniors opener last Wednesday, vies for a first win versus San Sebastian at 10:45 a.m.

In women’s action, first-day winners UST and Adamson dispute the lead at 2:15 p.m.

Far Eastern U and UP tangle at 12:30 p.m., while Centro Escolar University and Rizal Technological University try to rebound from opening-day setbacks at 4 p.m. in the other women’s games.

The Blue Eaglets, the losing finalists to National University in last year’s UAAP juniors finals, will be led by national youth players Jolo Mendoza and twins Matthew and Mike Nieto.

“We hope that the experience that our three PH team members gained in international competition will be of great help,” said Silva.

Silva expects other players to step up like Shaun Ildefonso, the son of PBA veteran Danny Ildefonso.

The Lady Falcons, meanwhile, aim to follow up on their 67-51 rout of RTU last Wednesday. With a report from Xavier Villaluz