UAAP, NCAA teams square off as Filoil rejigs groupings for preseason tilt

Filoil Pre-Season Cup is looking to make its return this year. INQUIRER FILE

MANILA, Philippines — A more diverse groupings were made for the UAAP and NCAA teams in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup starting July 23 at San Juan Arena

UAAP champion University of the Philippines is still grouped in Group A, which will consist of nine teams.

The Fighting Maroons are set to face their former player Will Gozum of College of St. Benilde, as well as NCAA Season 97 runner-up Mapua University, University of Perpetual Help, Arellano University, and Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Adamson, National University, and University of the East.

NCAA rookie-MVP Rhenz Abando and two-time champion Letran will face his former school University of Santo Tomas in Group B, where Evan Nelle, who is now with La Salle, will take on his ex-team San Beda University.

Completing the eight-team Group B cast are Far Eastern University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Jose Rizal University.

“We granted the requests of our participating teams in having a more diverse bracket for the staging of the Filoil tournament. We’re happy to have these 17 schools from the UAAP and NCAA make their preparations in our esteemed competition and we’re excited to see them play at their best as we celebrate our 15th staging of the Filoil tournament,” said chairman Rey Gamboa.

Lead commissioner Joe Lipa, deputy commissioner Bert dela Rosa, tournament director Joey Guillermo, and consultant and media head Virgil Villavicencio will join him in supervising the long-awaited return of the preseason tournament after three years.

The teams will clash in a single round-robin, with the top four teams in each group advancing to the crossover knockout playoffs, with the one-game championship scheduled on August 27.