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| Fresh from stunning top-seeded CEU, FEU battles La Salle in the FilOil semis. Rejj Sibayan (file photo) |
SAN JUAN, MM--With the four remaining teams in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup having a strong chance to claim their respective leagues' titles with the way they are playing in the tournament, basketball fans will get an early glimpse of how the UAAP and NCAA seasons could conclude as the semifinals of the summer cagefest take place on Friday at the FilOil Flying V Arena.
FEU and La Salle will battle in the first win-or-go-home clash at 3 p.m., while San Beda and JRU clash in the other knockout Final Four match at 5 p.m.
Flaunting an intact core from last year's UAAP teams, the Green Archers, the defending champions of the FilOil Cup, and the Tamaraws will slug it out anew for a finals slot in the rematch of last year's epic UAAP semifinal series.
The Tamaraws, however, will have to play without head coach Nash Racela and swingman Mac Belo, who are in Singapore for the Southeast Asian Games.
Another player with the national team is Baser Amer, and the Red Lions will need more firepower from their guards come their match against the Heavy Bombers especially that he will only make a return by the NCAA season and that Tey Teodoro, Dave Sanchez, and the returning Paolo Pontejos are making waves at the backcourt.
The showdown between both teams' African reinforcements will be a thing to watch as well.
Ola Adeogun and Pierre Tankoua will try to slug it out inside against Abdul Abdul-Wahab and rookie Abdel Poutouochi, who has been a vital component for JRU this FilOil season.
In the curtain raisers, the semifinals in the juniors division will also commence as Ateneo takes on Malayan at 11 a.m. and La Salle-Zobel battles NU at 1 p.m.
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