17 squads dispute 20th Fr. Martin Summer Cup

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 27 collegiate and high school squads are seeing action in the 20th the Fr. Martin Summer Cup basketball tournament this Saturday, April 5.

Commissioner Robert de la Rosa bared that sixteen collegiate men’s teams and the national youth under-17 quintet are listed in the senior’s division while 10 high school boys squads are entered.

They will vie will be around when competition gets under way at the St. Placid gymnasium inside the San Beda College campus in Mendiola, Manila.

Two collegiate finalists, the University of Santo Tomas Tigers and the St. Clare Saints, are among those that have signified their intentions to join the tournament, which  is considered as the country’s oldest pre-season collegiate cagefest.

The Tigers and Saints will be in the company of the Ateneo-B Blue Eagles, the RP Youth under-17 squad, Faith-Batangas, Centro Escolar University-Malolos, Arellano University and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Also entered are Far Eastern University, Lyceum Philippines University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, San Sebastian College-A, San Sebastian College-B, San Beda and Metropolitan College.

The defending titlist San Beda Red Cubs and the UAAP finalist National University  are entered in the junior division with Lyceum-A, Lyceum-B, San Sebastian-A, EAC-ICA, UST, Chiang Kai Shek Dragons, Adamson and San Sebastian-B.

The Tigers are expected to plunge into action with Segundo “Bong” de la Cruz debuting as their coach, and in their bid to prepare for action in the coming 77th UAAP season.

The Saints are getting ready for their campaigns in the NAASCU and the NCRAA, and will also be around with the Tigers. They are among the favorites with reigning Division 2 champions, the Ateneo-B Blue Eagles.

Last year, the NU Bulldogs came fashioned out a 63-47 swamping of the University of Perpetual Help-A Altas for the senior crown, while San Beda Red Cubs subdued the Letran Squires, 72-63, to retain the juniors crown.