Ateneo opens a brand new chapter when it makes its much awaited debut at the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Wednesday, May 24.
And it couldn’t have come against a better foe than rival University of the Philippines.
The protagonists of the last two UAAP Finals run it back in the 4 p.m. main event as both the Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons size each other up in this premier preseason league.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin finally parades Gilas Pilipinas big man Mason Amos as he links up with teammates Kai Ballungay, Forthsky Padrigao, and Paul Garcia.
But they’ll be bracing for a motivated UP side which has dropped its last two games, the last of which coming from a tough 90-83 loss to La Salle last Saturday.
Malick Diouf, CJ Cansino, and Lebron Lopez surely would want to get back to their winning ways in Group II and how sweet it would be to do so against the defending UAAP champion.
In the other games, undefeated La Salle (6-0) look to close in on a quarterfinal spot against hapless Faith Colleges of Batangas (0-4) at 2 p.m. in this league sponsored by Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Akari, BDO, Reyes BBQ, Kalos Sportswear, and Molten.
NCAA rivals open the quadruple-header with Lyceum (2-2) colliding against Arellano (0-3) at 10 a.m., before University of the East (2-3) lock horns against National University (1-1) at 12 p.m.
