ATENEO de Manila University stakes its unbeaten record and aims to surpass last year’s four-win output when it faces defending champion University of the Philippines, today (Wednesday) in the UAAP Season 88 collegiate men’s basketball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Blue Eagles are in for a tough test against the Fighting Maroons, who have won two straight games after starting the season with back-to-back losses.
Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin is bracing for a rugged 5 p.m. clash, especially after UP’s impressive comeback against previously undefeated National University last Saturday.
The Fighting Maroons rallied from 22 points down to beat the Bulldogs, 66-59, with coach Goldwin Monteverde engineering their first winning streak of the season.
“They’re a really, really good team. But, you know, NU really had them on the ropes,” Baldwin said. “It’s going to be, you know, two teams that UP fighting to get back into where they know that they belong, back into the top four and top four contention, and us trying to hold on to a really outstanding start to the season. So both teams are playing for a lot, but I think that’s pretty much always the case early in the season.”
The Blue Eagles had a short turnaround following a tough game last weekend, where they squandered a 33-point second-half lead but still held on for an 81-74 victory over De La Salle in the rivalry matchup.
Ateneo faces a challenging three-game stretch, with its next outing against University of Santo Tomas at the Blue Eagle Gym on Saturday to close the swing.
“It’s the same approach, regardless of who we’re playing. Ateneo is also the only remaining team unbeaten. But for us, it does not matter if it’s Ateneo or another team, we have time to prepare. We’re going to give them a fight and hopefully by Wednesday, everyone will be healthy and ready to go,” UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said.
Earlier in the day, NU takes on skidding Adamson University in the 2 p.m. curtain-raiser.
The Bulldogs, tied with the Growling Tigers in second place at 3-1, aim to rebound after last Saturday’s loss, when the Fighting Maroons erased a 13-point deficit with a 22-2 run.
After splitting their first two games, the Soaring Falcons have dropped consecutive contests, placing near the bottom of the standings. Adamson’s lone victory came at the expense of UP, 62-59, courtesy of Ray Allen Torres’ game-winning triple.
In the collegiate women’s division, NU looks to record its first winning streak of the season against Adamson at noon.
The Lady Bulldogs (2-1) are not taking the Lady Falcons lightly, especially after coach Jed Colonia celebrated his first UAAP victory last Sunday.
“Kami naman, we take it one game at a time. We prepare every game, kahit sino kalaban namin, we prepare hard. Ito naman, coming off a loss, we made sure na lahat nung amin pagkukulang last game on that loss ay ma-address namin,” said NU first-year coach DA Olan.
(“We take it one game at a time. We prepare hard for every opponent, no matter who it is. Coming off a loss, we made sure to address all the things we fell short on in the last game.”)
Adamson, which outlasted FEU, 57-56, to end a two-game losing streak, is gradually embracing the system Colonia has implemented.
“Malayo pa, pero malayo na rin yung narating. Ika nga nila, malayo na pero malayo pa. First game pa nga lang, sinabi ko na sa kanila na natutuwa na ako and I am proud of what they have achieved, especially as a first-time head coach na four to five months lang yung preparation. Malayo pa nga, marami pa kailangan pagtuunan ng pansin, pero malayo na rin. Malawak na rin yung na-develop namin at yung na-improve namin as a system and as a team,” Colonia said.
(“We still have a long way to go, but we’ve also come a long way. As they say, we’ve gone far, but there’s still more to do. After just our first game, I already told them that I’m happy and proud of what they’ve accomplished—especially as a first-time head coach with only four to five months of preparation. There’s still a lot to work on, but we’ve made significant progress. We’ve developed and improved a lot, both as a system and as a team.”)
Ateneo, tied with UST in first place at 3-0, faces UP, which is level with NU in third place at 2-1, in the evening game at 7 p.m.
In 16-and-under action, NUNS shoots for its fifth straight win against Adamson at 7:30 a.m., while Ateneo and UPIS collide at 9:30 a.m.
Games air on the Pilipinas Live app, One Sports, and the UAAP Varsity Channel.
