Ateneo Blue Eagles’ coach Tab Baldwin during Game 2 of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Defending UAAP champion Ateneo will beef up the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, which tips off on May 6 at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
After skipping the preseason tournament last year due to their overseas camps, the Blue Eagles will see action in the summer tilt, joining NCAA champion Letran.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin had a busy offseason, securing the commitments of UPIS star Kobe Demisana and Raffy Celis and Michael Asoro from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu as well as Gilas Youth standouts Mason Amos and Kyle Gamber.
Baldwin and the Blue Eagles redeemed themselves in Season 85 with graduating players Ange Kouame, Dave Ildefonso, and BJ Andrade leading the way.
National University, which ruled the 2022 edition with John Lloyd Clemente bagging the MVP award, will also join the famed preseason league’s return.
New coaches Topex Robinson of La Salle, Denok Miranda of Far Eastern University, Chico Manabat of Arellano, John Kallos of San Sebastian, and Jerson Cabiltes of Emilio Aguinaldo College will be tested in the preseason.
A coaches’ meeting is set for next week to finalize the tournament format and the participating squads.
League chairman Rey Gamboa, commissioners Joe Lipa and Bert dela Rosa, tournament director Bennett Palad, media head, and consultant Virgil Villavicencio, and marketing and finance head Diana Layug will oversee the 16th edition of the Filoil tourney.