Fancied red lions shoot for second straight win
San Beda, with its solid core one of the favorites in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup, shoots for its second straight win along with three other sides as action resumes on Friday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Coming off an impressive 75-66 victory over retooled University of the Philippines in the inaugurals, the Red Lions, the three-time defending NCAA champions, slug it out with Mapua in the 11 a.m. contest and are again tipped as the favorites.
Mapua had a debut to forget as the Cardinals were blown off the floor by Centro Escolar University, 84-65, in a fight-marred match on Monday.
Donald Tankoua scored a game high 24 points and had 11 rebounds in leading the Red past a UP team that has been beefed up by the acquisition of Ricci Rivero and Kobe Paras.
Adamson, Letran and Lyceum, playing without CJ Perez for the first time, are the other squads shooting for win No. 2.
The Falcons and the Pirates, powers in their respective leagues, part ways in the 2 p.m. contest.
The Pirates dispatched of pesky College of St. Benilde, 78-69, while Adamson will be coming into the game fresh from an 89-65 annihilation of Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The Pirates still retain the core, which went to back-to-back NCAA Finals and are still formidable even after Perez joined the PBA late last year as the No. 2 pick in the Draft.
Adamson looked impressive with their new additions in former Arellano Junior Chief Aaron Fermin and former Baby Falcons stars AP Manlapaz.
In the third seniors game, Letran faces debuting Far Eastern University in the 4 p.m. match.
The Knights gave first year head coach Bonnie Tan a victory in his return to the tournament after a 78-67 win over rebuilding Jose Rizal University.
Far Eastern has lost key players in Prince Orizu, Richard Escoto, Arvin Tolentino and Jasper Parker.
In other matches, Colegio de San Benildo battle Marist in the first of the three 11-Under division games starting 8 a.m.
San Beda takes on Don Bosco at 9 a.m., while La Salle Greenhills locks horns with Xavier at 10 a.m.
In the lone high school match, the Perpetual Help Junior Altas go up against La Salle Greenhills at 5:45 p.m.
