FilOil: UAAP squads UST, FEU, UE look to bounce back versus NCAA foes

Three UAAP squads with identical 0-1 records will look to break into the win column on Monday against a host of tough NCAA teams, as the FilOil Flying V Pre-season Tournament continues at the Arena in San Juan.   The Seniors division matches begin with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers tackling the University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta Altas at 1:45 p.m., followed by the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates looking to submerge the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at 3:30 p.m., before concluding with the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals aiming for a positive start to the season against the University of the East Red Warriors.   UST couldn't match-up with the San Beda Red Lions' firepower in their 70-54 loss last Wednesday, especially not with foul trouble keeping center Karim Abdul stapled to the bench. The Cameroonian normed 12.36 points and 11.86 rebounds last season in the UAAP, and could have gone toe-to-toe with Ola Adeogun, but he logged just 18 minutes before fouling out.   Pido Jarencio's charges also hope they get more firepower from Jeric Teng and Jeric Fortuna, as his starting backcourt combined for just eight markers.   The Altas are coming off a 62-60 near-upset of the defending champion Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, as Earl Thompson missed a game-winner at the buzzer, and will be entering this match-up full of confidence.   In the second game, the Lyceum hopes to avoid becoming the first team to fall into a 0-3 hole, after losing a double-digit lead against the new-look Arellano Chiefs last Saturday, 89-81.   The Pirates waxed hot early on, but their quarter production sank with each period, before they wound up with just 13 points in over the last 10 minutes, less than half of Arellano's 27 in the same span.   Their opponents, the FEU Tamaraws, also hope to work out some kinks in their offense, after getting mauled by this season's UAAP hosts in their first FilOil game of the year, an 85-74 NU victory.   RR Garcia, Cris Tolomia and Terrence Romeo were a combined 9-of-33 from the field for the Tams, perhaps a sign of summer rust. They were fortunate though to get 13 points from former Green Archer Arvie Bringas and 12 points from sophomore Roger Pogoy to keep the deficit somewhat manageable.   The final game of the day is a battle between two rebuilding sides, as UE and MIT face-off.   Red Warrior Roi Sumang was a deadly blur against Letran, putting up 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals, but he was the lone bright spot in the 64-56 defeat. In fact, the former Letran Squire was the only UE player in double-digits when the dust had settled.   Mapua on the other hand will rely on the deadly one-two combo of last year's NCAA Rookie of the Year Josan Nimes, and 6'7" big man Yousef Taha. They'll need big numbers from those two, as they lost four veterans to graduation, Allan Mangahas, Mark Sarangay, Rodel Ranises and Jason Pascual.   Looking to fill the void is a pair of UAAP-transfers, one-time Green Archer Gab Banal and former Bulldog Joseph Eriobu. — KBK, GMA News