Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Sebastian College-Recoletos will parade new coaches as the two schools lock horns in the NCAA Season 100 men's basketball tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Game time is at 12 p.m. with the Knights kicking off their redemption bid with champion high school mentor Allen Ricardo now calling the shots in the senior ranks. The two-time NCAA juniors titlist will face off with Arvin Bonleon, who was tapped by the Stags to lead the squad.
Letran, however, won't have two big names in its opening game as Pao Javillonar was handed a two-game suspension while Titing Manalili was ruled out of the tournament due to an undisclosed injury.
But Ricardo still has a promising lineup at his disposal with star transferee Jimboy Estrada finally making his much-awaited NCAA debut while holdovers Kobe Monje, Kevin Santos, Rafael Go, and Deo Cuajao are tipped to hold the fort for the Muralla crew.
San Sebastian, meanwhile, is hoping that hiring a new leader in Bonleon will breathe a new life to their campaign.
The Stags will rely on their usual suspects in Rafael Are, Raymart Escobido, Tristan Felebrico, and Reggz Gabat, who are the few remaining pieces from the team that tallied a 6-12 slate last year.
In the second game, both Emilio Aguinaldo College and Arellano University are out to jumpstart their season with a rousing victory.
Bannered by several veterans, the Generals are hoping to build on the school's best finish in a decade last season when they collected nine wins and nine losses to wind up in seventh spot.
This time, second-year coach Jerson Cabiltes is banking that he finally has the pieces to steer the team to its first-ever Final Four appearance with Harvey Pagsanjan, King Gurtiza, and Axel Doromal, at the forefront of their offense.
But standing in their way is an equally-hungry Arellano side.
Still at the helm is Chico Manabat, leading the likes of skipper Basti Valencia, big man Lorenz Capulong, and rookie Dre Miller as they hope to bounce back from a lackluster 2-16 outing last time out.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
