Filoil Flying V pre-season tourney slated

MANILA, Philippines - A bigger and better 2010 Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Basketball Invitational Cup gets under way next month at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

A total of 16 collegiate teams in the country from both the University Athletics Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association will be back in the pre-season tournament, along with 17 teams in the juniors division which will vie for the top honors and scholarship prizes for the winning squads.

The seniors side will be joined by the RP 18-under squad, while the juniors will have the RP 13-under team under coach Mark Herrera as guest squad, as both teams try to sharpen their skills for future international stints.

But one of the much-awaited events this season will be the cheerleading competition among member-schools from both the UAAP and the NCAA. Unlike last year, this year’s competition will be capped with a finale all its own, which will take place during the basketball finals on June 13.

Joey Guillermo, newly appointed chairman of the annual pre-season tournament which is now on its fourth year, said all these are geared towards making the event memorable for participants and the fans.

“The Filoil Flying V management is leaving no stones unturned to make this year’s pre-season event a very exciting and memorable one,” Guillermo said.

“The crowd will be treated to non-stop action in basketball, awe-inspiring performances by the cheerleaders and other gimmicks that will surely leave a mark on the basketball fans,” he added.

The tournament formally opens shop on April 10 at the Filoil Flying V Arena, kicking off with a brief but dazzling opening rites at 1 p.m.