Defending champion Nazareth School of National University and Far Eastern University-Diliman begin their best-of-three series for the UAAP Season 82 High School Boys’ Basketball championship Friday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
A rematch of their Season 79 title series, gametime is at 3 p.m.
Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas clash for the league’s first-ever High School Girls’ championship in Game 1 of their own best-of-three series at 12 noon.
The Bullpups swept the Baby Tamaraws in the eliminations, scoring a 64-49 win last Nov. 13 and a80-73 victory last Feb. 5 that gave them an outright Finals berth.
This season marked the first time in the Final Four era that all men’s, women’s and juniors basketball teams jumped straight to the league’s biggest stage after going 14-0 in the elimination round.
Ateneo’s men’s and National University’s women’s teams earlier in the basketball season went undefeated in 16 games, which NSNU hopes to replicate.
The Bullpups are aware that the elims sweep if they cannot finish things off.
“Siguro yung magre-relax yung team namin, iyan ang ayaw naming mamgyari,” said graduating NSNU guard Gerry Abadiano.
“Yung mga mali namin, kailangang baguhin. Sinasabi sa amin ni coach Goldwin (Monteverde) na huwag magre-relax. Hindi pa tapos yung goal namin,” he added.
FEU, which made it to the championship despite losing 11 players to graduation, will enter the series as heavy underdogs.
Coach Allan Albano reminded his Baby Tamaraws to elevate their game a notch higher against the fancied Bullpups.
“At least we have one week preparation against NU,” said Albano.