Games Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo
4 p.m. – Adamson vs FEU
Far Eastern University is out to atone for its lackluster showing the last time as the Tamaraws shoot for a Final Four berth against the winless Adamson Falcons today in the UAAP basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
FEU escaped with a 75-69 victory over struggling University of the Philippines last Saturday to move a win shy of becoming the first team to enter the Final Four, but interim coach Eric Gonzales wasn’t thrilled with how the Tams have been playing of late.
If not for the heroics of Achie Inigo, FEU’s Final Four bid could have been derailed.
Inigo hit a three-pointer with less than two minutes left to give the Tams the lead for good.
“Gusto namin seeded kami sa top two (ng Final Four),” said Gonzales. “That’s why I keep reminding the players to make every team a stepping stone kasi baka mamaya matisod pa tayo, ayaw namin maging stumbling block yun.”
Gonzales, who is filling in for the second straight game before coach Nash Racela’s expected return on Sunday against University of the East, is hoping that the Tams have woke up from their near-loss to the Maroons in their 4 p.m. clash with the Falcons.
The duo of Mike Tolomia and Mac Belo are expected to lead FEU’s attack, but they need more help from role players such as Inigo, Carl Bryan Cruz and Anthony Hargrove in order to play with more urgency.
Meanwhile, Ateneo is favored to roll past University of the Philippines in the 2 p.m. first game.
The Blue Eagles are tied alongside the La Salle Green Archers for second place at 8-3, and will clinch at least a Final Four playoff with a victory.
Beating the Maroons will give the Eagles some momentum in their own bid to gain a twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four.
“We already talked about how it’s going to be difficult from here on going into the last three games, everybody is going to find a way to win,” Ateneo coach Bo Perasol said.
Ateneo will once again lean on guard Kiefer Ravena, who hit 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Eagles’ 69-58 triumph over the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers last Saturday.
FEU and Ateneo could forge a tie for the lead if the former unexpectedly loses to Adamson and the latter prevails over UP.
Adamson and UP are already eliminated from Final Four contention but both squads are determined to pull off upsets with three games left in the season.