Games Monday (Adamson University Gym)

2 p.m. — PC Gilmore vs NLEX

4 p.m. — Boracay Rum vs Freego Jeans

MANILA, Philippines — Foundation Cup champion North Luzon Expressway makes its debut Monday when it battles PC Gilmore while Freego Jeans tries to forge a four-way tie for the lead in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Adamson University gym.

The Road Warriors, who swept Cebuana Lhuillier to win the inaugural crown in June, battle the Wizards in the first game of the traditional doubleheader at 2 p.m.

Freego Jeans, on the other hand, meets Boracay Rum in the second match at 4 p.m.

Expected to lead Jeans Masters are Adamson’s stars Lester Alvarez and Eric Camson and former Ateneo role player Bacon Austria.

“We hope to sustain our good start,” said coach Leo Austria, whose wards crushed PC Gilmore, 85-52, in the opener.

Freego managed only to reach the quarterfinals in the first conference of the event but Austria and team manager Joel Yap hope to make it to the semis this time around.

Boasting of some of the best talents in collegiate basketball, the NLEX team of coach Boyet Fernandez is once again tipped as favorites in the second staging of this PBAorganized developmental league.

Aside from the San Sebastian “Big Three” composed of Calvin Abueva, Ronald Pascual and Ian Sangalang, the Road Warriors recently added former UAAP MVP RR Garcia of FEU, Emman Monfort of Ateneo and San Beda's Garvo Lanete and Dave Marcelo to the team.

Also included in the squad are Fil-Am holdovers Cliff Hodge and Chris Ellis and former collegiate standouts Woody Co, Jaypee Belencion and Ford Arao.

Garcia, Monfort, Lanete and Marcelo, Hodge and Ellis are expected to suit up for NLEX before they head to Jakarta, Indonesia to represent the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games.