FEU's Royce Alforque in action against UST in the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup, June 6, 2024 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. Handout/Filoil

MANILA -- Far Eastern University gave new head coach Sean Chambers a triumphant debut, seeing off University of Santo Tomas, 79-72, on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The result gave the Tamaraws a place in the quarterfinals of the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup.

“Nothing against last year’s team, but you definitely see a different FEU team right now compared to last year’s team,” said Chambers, who had just arrived in the Philippines earlier in the morning, two months after being named the Tamaraws' tactician.

Veejay Pre spearheaded the FEU charge with 22 points, six assists, and five rebounds, while getting support from Royce Alforque who scored 15 markers to go along with four boards and three dimes. Jorick Bautista and Mo Konateh also added 12 points apiece.

With their 4-3 record, FEU is headed to the next round as the third seed out of the UAAP group.

The trifecta of Alforque, Konateh, and Jedrick Daa teamed up to do damage to the hapless Growling Tigers in the third quarter, as they zoomed to a lead as big as 19, 60-41.

Nic Cabañero (17) and Peter Osang (10) staged a late rally for the Growling Tigers but they could not complete the comeback.

The University of the Philippines (No. 1), De La Salle University (2), and University of the East (4) round out the representatives of the UAAP for the crossover quarterfinals on Saturday still at the same venue.

READ: UP secures Filoil top seed by beating Ateneo

Over in the NCAA bracket, Colegio de San Juan de Letran took the top spot thanks to Emilio Aguinaldo College’s 75-70 triumph over College of St. Benilde, as the third-seed was claimed by San Beda University (6-3) after escaping gritty Arellano University, 73-70.

San Beda's James Payosing in action against Arellano in the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup, June 6, 2024 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. Handout/Filoil

King Gurtiza dropped 17 points on top of four boards and three assists for the Generals, while the Red Lions were led by James Payosing who scattered 19 points and five boards. 

Ian Torres tallied nine points for the Blazers who, with the loss in the last day of eliminations, slid to 7-2 - tied with the Knights who own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Mapua University, meanwhile, wound up with the same 5-4 record as EAC, but is headed to the quarterfinals thanks to its own tiebreaker.

Jaedan Ongotan fired 20 points while Renzo Abierra had 15 for the Chiefs.

Lyceum of the Philippines University then went out on a high note after scraping past Jose Rizal University, 74-70. 

READ: Letran, St. Benilde battle for NCAA top seed in Filoil tourney

Also going out with a win is National University (3-4) which routed La Salle by 29 points, 81-52, behind PJ Palacielo’s 10 points and four boards.

Kevin Quiambao got 12 points and three boards for the 5-2 Green Archers, who already had nothing to play for as they're locked into the second seed.

THE SCORES:

FIRST GAME 

LPU 74— Barba 15, Montaño 13, Peñafiel 11, Daileg 11, Guadaña 6, Aviles 5, Cunanan 5, Villegas 3, Caduyac 3, Versoza 2, Garro 0, Reyes 0, Carino 0, Pallingayan 0, Reyes 0, Fuentes 0 

JRU 70— Guiab 16, Raymundo 15, Panapanaan 13, De Leon 6, Sarmiento 5, Garcia 5, Ramos 4, Bernardo 3, Lozano 2, Ferrer 1, De Jesus 0, Samontanes 0, Benitez 0, Raymundo 0, Pabico 0 

QUARTERS: 25-12, 32-33, 50-54, 74-70 

SECOND GAME 

EAC 75— Gurtiza 17, Tolentino 10, Oftana 8, Luciano 7, Angeles 6, Quinal 6, Pagsanjan 6, Bagay 4, Ochavo 4, Doria 2, Loristo 2, Umpad 2, Jacob 1, Ednilag 0, Devara 0 

BENILDE 70— Torres 9, Galas 8, Eusebio 7, Carillo 7, Morales 6, Vanguardia 5, Serrano 5, Turco 4, Ondoa 4, Turco 4, Cometa 4, Jalalon 4, Oli 3, Cajucom 2, Victoria 2

QUARTERS: 21-23, 43-42, 64-63, 75-70 

THIRD GAME

FEU 79— Pre 22, Alforque 15, Konateh 12, Bautista 12, Daa 9, Godinez 5, Pasaol 4, Buenaventura 0, Bagunu 0, Gordon 0, Ona 0, Felipe 0

UST 72— Cabañero 17, Padrigao 15, Osang 10, Crisostomo 10, Manaytay 7, Paranada 5, Pangilinan 3, Danting 3, Acido 2, Castro 0, Estacio 0, Laure 0, Robinson 0

QUARTERS: 22-16, 40-31, 64-47, 79-72 

FOURTH GAME 

SAN BEDA 73— Payosing 19, Sajonia 16, Andrada 9, Calimag 8, Estacio 4, Tagle 4, Jalbuena 4, Puno 3, Gonzales 3, Torres 2, Celzo 1, Calimag 0, Jamora 0, Lopez 0, Songcuya 0

ARELLANO 70— Ongotan 20, Abiera 15, Hernal 9, Libang 8, Borromeo 7, Vinoya 6, Millier 3, Dayrit 2, Capulong 0, Geronimo 0, Camay 0, Acop 0, Dela Cruz 0, Espiritu 0

QUARTERS: 20-19, 36-35, 47-56, 73-70

FIFTH GAME

NU 81— Tulabut 11, Palacielo 10, Yu 9, Figueroa 8, Garcia 7, Enriquez 6, John 6, Manansala 5, Lim 4, Padrones 4, Santiago 4, Francisco 3, Gulapa 2, Dela Cruz 2, Perciano 0

LA SALLE 52— Quiambao 12, Policarpio 9, Gollena 6, Gaspay 5, Agunanne 5, Cortez 5, Marasigan 4, Austria 3, Buenaventura 2, Romero 1, Abadam 0, Ramiro 0, Rubico 0

QUARTERS: 28-15, 43-28, 69-42, 81-52