Ateneo set for preseason debut

Francis Lopez

Games Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre
10 a.m. - Lyceum vs. Arellano
12 p.m. - UE vs. NU
2 p.m. - Faith Colleges vs. La Salle
4 p.m. - Ateneo vs. UP

After a long wait, Ateneo kicks off its preseason on Wednesday afternoon at the 2023 edition of the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

The Season 85 champions of the UAAP will be facing off against the team they snatched the title from in the University of the Philippines at 4pm, the final game of the scheduled quadruple-header.

The Blue Eagles are expected to field Mason Amos, who is fresh from a stint with the senior national team in Cambodia for the SEA Games. With veterans BJ Andrade, Ange Kouame, and Dave Ildefonso having graduated, it is now up to the holdovers to take on the leadership role, led by Sean Quitevis, and Paul Garcia, alongside the likes of Forthsky Padrigao, Kai Ballungay, and Geo Chiu, under Tab Baldwin's stewardship.

They will be up against a UP side that has lost back-to-back games, including a 90-83 defeat to La Salle this past Saturday.

Veterans Malick Diouf and CJ Cansino, alongside Francis Lopez seek to address their skid, whilst also dealing with injuries that have kept the Fighting Maroons short-handed so far.

In the other scheduled matchups, the Green Archers are seeking to lock in a postseason spot against winless Faith Colleges of Batangas at 2pm. DLSU is seeking to win their seventh straight game in the process.

Opening things up at 10am is Lyceum facing Arellano. The Chiefs are still seeking their first win so far, while the Pirates are hopeful to secure their third win in five matches.

Completing the slate is a noontime duel between the University of the East and National University. The Red Warriors are hoping to return to .500 after six games, while the Bulldogs are going for their second win in the tournament, which is sponsored by Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Akari, BDO, Reyes BBQ, Kalos Sportswear, and Molten.