DIVISION One Champions SSTMI Thunderbolts received a smooth Milo Cup draw yesterday, and should cruise into the final of the MHC-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League.
For, they will play Division Two outfit 1Mas Perlis in the quarter-finals, and in the semis are highly touted to meet their counterpart SSP-MSP-Thunderbolts.
The other half of the draw will see a battle between UniKL Young Guns and Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) who are expected to clash at the sem-finals stage.
In the quarter-finals, UniKL will play Nur Insafi-Penang HA while PJCC meet SMKDBL Johor HA.
UniKL Young Guns team manager Mohamed Faiz Isa said finishings econd in the League was not what they wanted, so they will try to make amends in the Milo Cup.
"After we lost to Thudnerbolts (4-2) in the League my players were a little down, but are slowly getting back their confidence. We lost the League title narrowly, so now we will try and make amends by snatching the Milo Cup," said Faiz.
Not wanting to underestimate their quarter-finals opponents Nur Insafi-Penang HA, Faiz said experience will be their best friend in the knock-out.
"We are not underestimating the capabilities of Nur Insafi who have proven to be an improving side judging from the results in the Division Two knock-outs.
"Only that, we have an experienced outfit, and hopefully they don't make it difficult for themselves in the two leg quarters," said Faiz.
Thunderbolts team manager Adam Izamry was all smiles after 1Mas Perlis picked their number for the quarters: "Yes, it looks like our half of the quarters draw is much more easier than the other half where PJCC and UniKL will most probably advance to the semis.
"It looks like we will be waiting for which-ever team that reaches the final from the other half," said a confident Adam.
It is no fools talk, as Adam and coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman have the best juniors in the country as they go for their fourth consecutive JHL double.
MILO CUP quarter-finals (first leg): March 6: SSTMI Thunderbolts v 1Mas Perlis; March 8: 1Mas Perlis v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Both legs at Nationsal Stadium Bukit Jalil).
March 6: SSP-MSp-Thunderbolts v Bukit Jalil SS Juniors (Temerloh); March 8: Bukit Jalil SS Juniors v SSP-MSp-Thunderbolts (Ministry of Education).
March 6: Petaling Jaya City Council v SMKDBL PH Johor (National Stadium); March 8: SMKDBL PH Johor v Petaling Jaya City Council (Batu Pahat).
March 6: UniKL Young Guns v Nur Insafi-Penang HA (National Stadium); March 8: Nur Insafi-Penang HA v UniKL Young Guns (Sungai Petani).
RESULTS: Division Two: Final -- Nur Insafi-Penang HA 3 SMKDBL PHJ 2; Third-Fourth: BJSS Juniors 4 1Mas Perlis 3.