UP eyes the twice-to-beat edge against Final 4 hopeful Ateneo
Games on Wednesday
(SM Mall of Asian Arena)
7:30 a.m. – Ateneo vs UPIS (16U)
9:30 a.m. – ADU vs DLSZ (16U)
11:30 a.m. – ADU vs DLSU (Women)
1:30 p.m. – ADU vs DLSU (Men)
4:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP (Men)
7 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP (Women)
REIGNING champion University of the Philippines (UP) guns for the second and last twice-to-beat edge against Final Four hopeful Ateneo de Manila University in the Battle of Katipunan to kickstart the final week of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball eliminations on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Action kicks off at 4:30 p.m. for the main game of the pivotal double-header that also features De La Salle University (6-5) and Adamson University (5-7) at 1:30 p.m. in hunt for the last two seats in the semifinals after the qualification of National University (NU) (11-2) and UP (9-3).
La Salle, Adamson and Ateneo (5-6) along with Far Eastern University (5-7) figure in a logjam midway through the rankings with University of Santo Tomas (7-5) having an inside track one game up.
And the pressure is on UP not to be dragged down the mud race despite being in the Final Four already with a possible 10th victory that would ice its place in the Top Two for a win-once bonus with NU.
“Our mindset is consistency. We’re just gonna take it one game at a time,” said mentor Goldwin Monteverde as UP clinched a Final Four ticket for the fourth straight season under his watch.
As it stands, UP is already assured of at least a playoff for the No. 2 seed but could still be joined by La Salle and Santo Tomas — with only five losses — to a three-way tie at 9-5 for more complications. And the Diliman-based dribblers want none of it, here and now.
The Fighting Maroons nearly lost steam in that bid with a gritty 70-65 win over Adamson to seal a Final Four entry for the seventh straight season, the longest active streak in the UAAP since 2018.
UP wasted a 16-point first-half lead before Gerry Abadiano and Francis Nnoruka stepped up for the struggles of aces Rey Remogat and Harold Alarcon to avenge its 62-59 buzzer-beater loss in the first round.
That’s the ninth win in the last 10 games for the Fighting Maroons after a 0-2 start but for Mr. Monteverde, it only gets tougher from here if they wish to defend their title and earn a fifth straight finals appearance.
“We need to learn to try finishing off what we started every game,” ordered Mr. Monteverde as UP shoots for a repeat win over Ateneo after an 83-69 win in the first round.
Ateneo, however, who started the season at 4-0, definitely wants payback to stay afloat after a costly 69-57 defeat against Santo Tomas.
The Blue Eagles, under Tab Baldwin who has won them four titles, finished at the cellar in Season 87 with a 4-10 slate and despite a hot start fell to their sixth loss in the last seven matches to lose steam in a redemption bid at fifth spot now. — John Bryan Ulanday
