WHEN the Ateneo Blue Eagles troop to the hard-court today against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the start of the Final Four of the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, they will bring with them hard lessons from their losses, especially the one against the University of the East Warriors only a week ago.
The Eagles dropped a 69-74 decision to the Warriors, but the loss thankfully did not make a dent on their chances for the Final Four.
Still, Ateneo coach Bo Perasol said the loss served as a wake-up call for the Eagles and reminded them not to take any game lightly, especially now that they are at a disadvantage as the no. 3 seed.
The Blue Eagles take on the no. 2 seed Far Eastern University Tamaraws at 3:30 p.m. and will need to play a more focused game to force a deciding game, and hopefully make it all the way to the finals.
“Nakadagdag iyung pagkatalo namin kasi para hindi kami maging kampante. On our toes na kami. Tall order for any team beating a team twice,” said Perasol.
On Sunday, top seed University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers battle the defending champions and 4th seed National University Bulldogs in their own semis duel, also set at 3:30 p.m. at the Big Dome.
Ateneo,which finished the elimination round with a 9-5card, is taking on an FEU squad fresh from a 71-68 dumping of the De La Salle Green Archers to formally clinch the no. 2 seeding.
FEU had beaten Ateneo twice, first with an 88-64 victory in the first round, and a 66-61 decision in the second.
If the Tamaraws win for the third time today, they will go to the finals for the second straight season and into their 10th finals stint since 1994.
But if the Blue Eagles win two in a row, they will make it to the finals for the 10th time since 1999.
Ateneo is now on its 16th Final Four appearance while FEU is on its 17th.
Kiefer Ravena, meanwhile, was named Most Valuable Player for the second straight season and was joined in the Mythical Five by Kevin Ferrer and Ed Daquioag of University of Santo Tomas, Alfred Aroga of National University and Jeron Teng of De La Salle. All five were on the top five of the MVP statistical race.
Ravena took his second straight MVP plum after compiling 69.5 total statistical points, Ferrer was second with 67.3571, while was Aroga finished third with 63.2857 total points, followed by Teng, with 60.7857.
Daquioag is the second UST player to make it to the Mythical Five as he amassed 60.5714 total Sps.