FilOil: Tigers, Red Lions collide while 4 other teams debut

Two feline teams clash on Wednesday as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers collide with the San Beda College Red Lions in the FilOil Flying V Pre-season Cup's fourth seniors battle of the day at The Arena in San Juan City. The two met last year as well with San Beda emerging victorious, 85-72, as four Red Lions finished with double-digit scoring, thanks to near 50 percent field goal shooting. UST got a combined 41 points from their backcourt of Jeric Teng and Jeric Fortuna, but their efforts weren't enough as the Tigers fell behind by 15 points at the break. San Beda also racked up 29 assists in that game thanks to crisp ball movement. They had 18, three more than La Salle in their tournament opener. In the other games, last season's NCAA guest team the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates are out to score an upset against the Adamson University Falcons at 12 noon, the University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta Altas clash with reigning FilOil champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles at 1:45pm, and the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers draw an NCAA-battle versus the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals at 3:30pm, all before the UST-SBC tiff at 5:15pm. The Pirates parade an almost intact roster, one that managed a 7-11 record in the NCAA, shocking many. On the flip side, their opponents, the Falcons, will try to rebound from the graduation of four core players, point guards Jerick Canada and Lester Alvarez, swingman Janus Lozada and big man Jan Colina. Perpetual Help will shoot for a victory in what is expected to be new head coach Aric Del Rosario's debut, but it will be a tall task against an experienced Ateneo line-up. The Eagles  are coming off a Saturday 55-51 thriller against the Letran Knights, and a smashing victory against Lyceum in the Fr. Martin's Cup, 66-40, and will undoubtedly be looking to make the Altas their third summertime victim. In the third game, the Heavy Bombers hope to bounce back from a rough tournament debut, a 99-48 shellacking at the hands of the National University Bulldogs last Saturday. Not only did JRU's defense concede 58 percent field goal shooting to this year's UAAP hosts, their press only produced four turnover points. They hope to get back to their brand of basketball against the EAC Generals, cellar-dwellers of last season's NCAA tournament. Strangely absent from the roster submitted by EAC was their star rookie from last season, Filipino-American Joshua Torralba. Torralba normed 10.4 points and 3.6 rebounds, and with the graduation of big man Claude Cubo, was expected to shoulder more of the scoring responsibilities. That said, the team could still add him to their ranks prior to tip-off. Currently, Ateneo and San Beda are tied at the top of Group A with a victory apiece, while NU holds the only win in Group B play. — JVP, GMA News