Ateneo, La Salle relive feud in Homegrown Cup

It will be less-physical but just as intense as any La Salle-Ateneo duel.

That’s what officials behind the Total-FilOil-Flying V Homegrown Cup could guarantee on the prospect of another Blue Eagles-Archers clash once the short, six-team tournament reels off on March 25 at the San Juan gym.

"Definitely, we’ll make it a point to avoid such untoward incident. I’d like to believe that all of us have matured," said Homegrown Cup commissioner Virgil Villavicencio in the PSA Forum yesterday at the main function room of the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila.

The Homegrown Cup is actually an expanded but more competitive version of the series of Ateneo-La Salle exhibition matches, with four other schools — Letran, San Beda, University of the Philippines and Far Eastern U — joining the fray.

It aims to bring back to the hard court former stars of all six schools that will meet in a single round robin and reaffirm their glorious collegiate and professional past.

Unfortunately, a fistfight led by Archer Joseph Yeo marred the last La Salle-Ateneo exhibition match at the Araneta Coliseum that almost led to a walkout by the Blue Eagles.

"Actually, `it’s the young ones who are really emotional ," admitted Villavicencio, who was joined in the session sponsored by PAGCOR by project head Anthony Suntay.

"But this tournament is more than just an exhibition game since a lot are at stake. Hindi lang bragging rights So, it’s actually more competitive in nature," said Villavicencio, a former coaching staff of the Talk `N Text team in the PBA.

Familiar names from the 70s will be on hand: Steve Watson, Fritz Gaston, Joy Carpio (Ateneo); Lim Eng Beng, Peter Ley, Kenneth Yap (La Salle); and Chito Loyzaga and Frankie Lim (San Beda).

The 80s and 90s will also be represented: Samboy Lim (Letran); Jong Uichico, Aldo Perez and former Lipa Vice-Mayor Boy Manguerra (La Salle); Glenn Capacio, Harmon Codiñera and Ronald Magtulis (FEU); Ronnie Magsanoc, Yeng Guiao and Bert Ortiz (UP); and Boybits Victoria and Ralph Rivera (San Beda).