ONE of the more acrimonious rivalries in college basketball will take center stage when the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup quarterfinals gets going on Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The third seeds of Group A and B—De La Salle University (DLSU) and Far Eastern University (FEU)—clash at 4 p.m.
De La Salle finished third in Group A with a 7-2 win-loss record, while FEU sported a 6-2 card in Group B. Their elimination round records aren’t the only ones that mirror each other. It’s also their respective game.
The Green Archers have pleasantly surprised fans with their top game despite losing a lot of players having used up their playing eligibility.
With some solid veterans in Andrei Caracut, Jolo Go, Aljun Melecio, Justine Baltazar, Leonard Santillan and Kib Montalbo—as well as impact newcomers in Taane Samuel, Brandon Bates, Miggy Corteza and Donn Lim—De La Salle has waylaid foes with its quick passing game and solid inside play.
With Baltazar, Santillan and Samuel repeatedly attacking the rim, it has opened up the floor for drives and open shots by their teammates.
How evenly is De La Salle spread out? Ten players are averaging at least 10 minutes of action a game, while five players are scoring at least 10 points a game.
During last year’s Filoil tourney, four Green Archers scored in double digits—come the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), it was down to two.
The balance this season not only demonstrates squad depth but also the quality that first year Head Coach Louie Gonzales has at his disposal.
On the other side is an FEU team laden with veterans looking to get back at De La Salle for blanking them in last year’s UAAP play and the preseason battering in Davao.
FEU is stacked and loaded and the Tamaraws have played better this summer having assimilated second year Coach Olsen Racela’s system.
Like De La Salle, FEU also has 10 players averaging over 10 minutes of play. But unlike De La Salle, no Tamaraw is averaging in double figure scoring.
FEU’s leading scorer is fourth year guard Wendell Comboy, who is putting up 8.8 points per game. Arvin Tolentino manages 8.4 points an outing.
De La Salle is the third best team in scoring while FEU is fifth. De La Salle is the fifth best defensive squad while FEU is sixth. Each squad averages over 16 assists per game, a statistics coaches of both teams place close attention to.
Helping find the open man usually leads to better shots. FEU is shooting better at 48 percent from the field, while De La Salle knocks down 43 percent of its attempts.
One can say each team has grasped its respective systems and plays good defense. It will come down to which team’s veterans who can steer their teammates into the semifinals which take place the very next day on Friday.