Filoil Championships on June 12

Nambatac of Letran gets a free throw in their game against Xavier.

The NCAA and the UAAP champions battle for third place at the 2012 Filoil Flying V Preseason Hanes Cup tomorrow. 2010-2011 NCAA champion San Beda Red Lions and the 2008-2011 UAAP four-peat champion Ateneo Blue Eagles will play at 11:30 am on June 12, 2012.

The championship game between the NU Bulldogs and the La Salle Green Archers starts at 4 pm.

The Juniors Division has a similar line-up.  

It's the Xavier Golden Stallions versus the NU Bullpups at 9:30 am and the San Beda Red Cubs and the Letran Squires at 2:00 pm.

Letran 87, Xavier 82, at 3:22 pm.

Thanks to Mike 'Mic' Abasolo of inboundpass.com for the media pass and the company and to Rebound Magazine photographer Dr. Gerard 'Raddy' Mabasa for the ride and the guidance.

Raddy and I arrived at the Arena between 2:15 and 2:30 pm.  He said that he would normally park in Pinaglabanan at that time, but that there was a low turnout on account of the long holiday. 

He pointed out that the parking building was full.  We parked in the grassy area inside the compound.

Is that Bobby  Ray Parks (14) with the ball?

I brought some chichirya that my dad brought home from China.  Raddy warned me that bringing of food is not allowed, as there are concessionaires.  

But since I had a Media Pass, my bag was not inspected.  I had left my stash in Raddy's car on his advice.

 It was my first time to watch a collegiate basketball game and to go to my neighbor The Arena.

Raddy wonders why I would go to a bonfire but not Araneta Coliseum.  I told him that I watch the games at home on TV.  Wearing my blue shirt.

Being my age, Raddy warned me about the noise which I knew about because Mic said that he couldn't hear me on the phone.  

Among the starters were Slaughter (20), Salva (8), Tiongson (5).

Raddy asked me after it was over if I found it noisy.  I told him that I had attended an Appetite Restaurant Festival at Eastwood where a drum act was well-received.  I didn't enjoy it as much as the drumming of the school teams, even his school Xavier's, which Raddy did not notice.  The San Beda Red Lions' starting drummer gets the Bigay na Bigay award from me, as he even put his foot on his ledge for added power.

Raddy also asked me why I wasn't wearing blue.  I told him that my skorts were light blue.  Time to get a blue shirt.  I wish that Blue Eagles shirts are sold in malls or even at the Arena.  Aside from the expensive Adidas shirts.

Mic pointed out the best Blue Eagles cheer to me.  What was it?

I had suggested this to the Loyola Grand Villas library when I accompanied my friend Joy Uy but was referred to the gift shop.

Anyway, I hope to attend the championships on June 12 as I enjoyed myself last Saturday.

Two people held up banners each time the Bulldogs scored a basket.

Surprisingly, the Xavier-Letran game was interesting to watch as it was a close game and the Eagles-Bulldogs game was a yawn.  La Salle led San Beda all throughout until 38 all near the end of the game.  Wow!  That woke me up!  Was it in the third quarter when I told Mic that it looks like it's going to be San Beda versus Ateneo tomorrow?

9-year-old Joshua, who was yawning earlier, also stood up and bit his nails.  Literally.  When, after the tie and San Beda was down by four points and it was clear that La Salle was winning the game, he cupped his head in his hands.