UNDEFEATED teams National University (NU) and Adamson University collide in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Friday at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Bulldogs and Soaring Falcons face off at 3 p.m.
Curiously, the approach is much the same between NU coach Jeff Napa and Adamson University mentor Nash Racela, both of whom have urged their respective young squads to focus on its own development rather than the threat from the opponent.
“We are a work-in-progress and we’re still a long way to go, what the coaches want to see is how the team will develop,” Napa said.
Racela said: “We don’t want to focus on teams we’re playing, but rather, we just want to play the games as they come. We play the same way regardless of who the other team is.”
Rookie LA Casinillo impressed for NU in its 79-64 win over Jose Rizal University on Sunday to nab back-to-back victories. He teamed up with John Lloyd Clemente and Senegalese big man Omar John.
Jerom Lastimosa finally had his breakout game last Wednesday in Adamson University ‘s 68-61 conquest of University of Perpetual Help to climb to 3-0 won-lost.
University of the Philippines will also try to tighten its stranglehold of the top spot in Group A when it shoots for its fifth win against scrappy Emilio Aguinaldo College (1-2) at 5 p.m.
The Fighting Maroons are now complete with the arrivals of Zavier Lucero and rookie Henry Galinato and they wasted little time showing their strength with a 56-point rout of College of Saint Benilde, 117-61, on Wednesday.
University of the East (1-3), fresh from its confidence-boosting 58-50 win over Arellano, will now try to string a win streak when it meets winless Mapua (0-2) in the 9 a.m. matinee.
St. Benilde and Perpetual, both holding identical 1-2 slates, part ways at 11 a.m., followed by the Group B duel between San Beda (0-2) and San Sebastian (0-1) at 1 p.m.
Image credits: UAAP