UP defeats La Salle in Filoil EcoOil opener

On May 11, 2024, the University of the Philippines (UP) defeated La Salle in a rematch from last year's UAAP finals during the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup opener at San Juan Arena.

JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez led UP with 19 and 16 points respectively, contributing significantly to their victory over La Salle.

Kevin Quiambao of La Salle scored 15 points but was unable to secure a win for his team as UP dominated the game; however, he had to exit early due to a head injury sustained during the contest.

UP's strong performance marked the start of their title defense in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup and highlighted their resilience after losing to La Salle in last year’s championship series.

The Fighting Maroons also handed De La Salle its first loss this summer, despite the latter's perfect 9-0 record in preseason leagues prior to this match; Quiambao is now out indefinitely due to his injury.