STILL reeling from their 62-73 loss to arch-rival Ateneo Blue Eagles last Sunday, the La Salle Green Archers need to put the loss behind them quickly and rebound with a much-needed victory when they take on the slumping University of the Philippines Maroons at 4 p.m. today in the 76th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Green Archers must win over the Maroons and still have to get past current leader Far Eastern University Tamaraws in their last remaining game on Nov. 18 in the second round to remain in contention for a spot in the Final Four.
The loss to Ateneo dropped De La Salle into fifth place with a 5-7 (win-loss) card, half a game behind defending champion National University. (6-7), which is still very much in the race for a final berth in the semifinals,.
“We just have to take care of business in our last two games,” said La Salle coach Juno Sauler.
In the 2 p.m. schedule, the University of Santo Tomas resumes its quest for the no. 1 seeding when it takes on Adamson University.
The Growling Tigers, who broke the Tamaraws’ nine-game streak with an 85-76 victory last Saturday, improved to 10-3. They had so far swept the Tamaraws twice in the elimination rounds.
Despite the loss, FEU remained at first place with a 10-2 card.
UST coach Bong de la Cruz said the Tigers had stuck to their defensive plan and shot well from the arc in the first half against the Tamaraws.
“‘Yung character ng team nakikita namin. Masaya kami dito sa panalo dahil nag-prepare kami ng husto sa game na ito,” said UST coach Bong de la Cruz.
Games Today
(Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. — UST vs Adamson
4 p.m. — UP vs La Salle