Cobras to meet Manila’s best in Filoil Cup

CEBU basketball fans will have something to look forward to this summer as the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. champion Southwestern University Cobras will tangle it up with the best collegiate teams in the country.

The Cobras, who recently got much attention following the high profile transfer of Cameroonian center Benoit Mbala to the De La Salle University Green Archers, were invited to play to the 7th Filoil Flying V Premier Cup. It will start on April 13 and end on June 3, and will be played at The Arena in San Juan City.

“We’ve got the invitation to play for Filoil Flying V tournament. But I still have my concern since it is a two-month tournament and they (organizers) could only subsidize P50,000,” SWU athletic director Ryan Aznar told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.

According to Aznar, he has endorsed the matter to the school board for the approval.

“I still have to make my budget proposal but honestly when it comes to basketball matters, I just leave it to the coaches to decide. But personally, I’d like the team to play in that tournament for two reasons. It would give the school a good advertisement since games will be televised and second, the players can get more exposure since the competition is much tougher,” Aznar said.

This pre-season tournament will gather the best teams from UAAP and NCAA.

For the tournament, SWU is in Bracket B with UAAP champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, De La Salle University Green Archers, University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, University of the East Red Warriors. Also in the group are NCAA’s San Sebastian College-Recoletos Stags, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights, Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, Arellano University Chiefs, and Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals.

Bracket A has NCAA 3-peaters San Beda College Red Lions, University of Perpetual Help Dalta System Altas, defending champions National University Bulldogs, Far Eastern University Tamaraws, University of the Philippines Maroons, College of Saint Benilde Blazers, Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, and Adamson University Falcons.

According to Aznar, the team is currently holding tryouts since four of last year’s vital cogs are out now out of the team--Joseph Aero Nalos, Benito Ortoyu Jr., Bonifacio Guillena and Darryl Goloran.