Eagles, Lions, RP Youth 5 banner Martin Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- A total of 16 collegiate men’s teams, the national youth quintet and 17 high school  boys squads will be seeing action in the 19th Fr. Martin Summer Cup basketball tournament next month.

Considered as the country’s oldest pre-season collegiate cagefest,  hostilities will get under way on April 6 at the St. Placid gymnasium inside the San Beda College campus in Mendiola, Manila.

Ateneo de Manila, the five-peat titleholders of the  University Athletic Association of the Philippines seniors division, is back with the three-peat National Collegiate Athletic Association champions, the San Beda Red Lions.

Commissioner Robert de la Rosa said other entries include Ateneo-B, Letran, Jose Rizal University Heavy, Emilio Aguinaldo College, National University, Fatima University, St. Clare, AMA Computer University, University of Perpetual Help, Lyceum Philippines University, University of the Philippines, Informatics, PATTS, Adamson and the RP Youth team.

In the high school action, three-peat National Collegiate Athletic Association  juniors titlist San Beda College and UAAP titlist Far Eastern University-FERN  will be around, along with SBC-B, Tiong Lian powerhouse Xavier School, University of Perpetual Help, Ateneo Blue, Ateneo White, University of the East, Adamson, Fatima, Jesus is Lord Foundation, EAC, University of Santo Tomas, NU, AMA and La Salle-Zobel.

Last year, Ateneo got big baskets from Nikko Salva and Kiefer Ravena  in overtime to beat the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, 98-92, and snare the senior honors.

In the juniors, the San Red Cubs reclaimed the crown they lost to Hope Christian last year by trouncing the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, 91-75, and with Javee Mocon providing 17 points.