UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas tries to check a two-game slide as it tangles with Far Eastern University, as struggling teams Ateneo and National University seek to end their first round campaigns on a high note Saturday in the UAAP Season 87 collegiate men’s basketball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The last two games served as a reality check for the Growling Tigers, who after a promising start are now hanging in the middle of the pack with a 3-3 record.
After matching their worst start in Season 85 two years ago, the Tamaraws have learned the lessons of their heartbreaks in the first five contests and finally know how it takes to win games under new coach Sean Chambers.
“I have learned a lot from all the coaches in the league in teaching their kids,” said Chambers after FEU pulled off a 66-65 overtime win over Ateneo.
“My job is to make sure we elevate our guys’ game plan for them just to win games. So that’s why I’m trying to elevate our game in the last two to three weeks. We will continue to get better,” he added.
Tip time is at 4:30 p.m., with UST eyeing its first winning record in the first round since UAAP Season 82 (2019), when it won four of the first games under then-coach Aldin Ayo.
The 6:30 p.m. tussle between the Bulldogs and the Blue Eagles is very crucial, as the loser will have a tough climb in the Final Four race, as it cannot afford to drop many games in the second round.
NU and Ateneo are tied with FEU from sixth to eighth places at 1-5.
After a narrow win over the Tamaraws, the Bulldogs were far from the form that gave them Final Four appearances in the last two seasons, losing four in a row, as they sorely missed injured Malian center Mo Diassana.
The Blue Eagles, meanwhile, have lost two in a row, are assured of their worst start in the coach Tab Baldwin era.
The first round ends Sunday at the bayside Pasay arena, with University of the Philippines gunning for a seven-game sweep against defending champion De La Salle in a rematch of last year’s Finals at 6:30 p.m., and University of the East eyeing to make it five in a row and matching its longest winning run in 10 years as it goes up as it plays Adamson University at 3:30 p.m.
In the women’s division, reigning titlist NU shoots to complete a first round sweep in the 1:30 p.m. duel with Ateneo, while UST tries to solidify its hold of the second spot against FEU at 11:30 a.m.
Games Saturday
(SM Mall of Asia Arena)
8 a.m. – FEU-D vs UST (JHS)
9:45 a.m. – Ateneo vs NUNS (JHS)
11:30 a.m. – FEU vs UST (Women)
1:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Women)
4:30 p.m. – FEU vs UST (Men)
6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Men)
