UAAP champions UP Maroons to kick off Filoil Preseason Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning UAAP champions UP Fighting Maroons will be the protagonists of the opening game of the Filoil EcoOil Preason Cup tipping off on Saturday, July 23, at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Maroons, who ended a 36-year championship drought earlier this year, will usher in the 17-team tourney with a game against NCAA runners-up Mapua as the preseason tourney returns after a three-year hiatus.

Their game tips off at 1 p.m., immediately following the opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m.

The Maroons and Cardinlas lock horns in Group A action where they are joined by Adamson, Perpetual, College of St. Benilde, National University, Arellano, University of the East and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Meanwhile, Group B teams DLSU Green Archers and FEU Tamaraws compete against each other at 3 p.m. with Adamson and the CSB Blazers wrapping things up for the day's triple header at 5 p.m.

Group B is made up of La Salle, FEU, San Beda, Letran, San Sebastian, UST, Lyceum, and Jose Rizal University.

The league already released its full schedule for the elimination round earlier this week.

LOOK: Full schedule of the 17-team Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup which makes its return after a three-year hiatus | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/ox8BeoPtBM

— Luisa Morales (@mluisamorales_) July 20, 2022

Teams will go through a round-robin phase with the top four teams in each group advancing to a knockout playoffs stage.

The tiff is expected to culminate on August 27 with a one-game winner-take-all final.