Mga laro ngayon:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
2 p.m. – DLSU vs NU (Women Finals, Game 2)
6 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo (Men Finals, Game 1)
UMAASA ang Ateneo na makapagpoprodyus ng A-game kontra back-to-back title-seeking University of the Philippines sa pagsisimula ng third installment ng “Battle of Katipunan” sa harap ng inaasahang malaking crowd ngayon sa Mall of Asia Arena.
Nakatakda ang salpukan sa alas-6 ng gabi.
Target ng Fighting Maroons ang ikalawang UAAP men’s basketball championships sa parehong taon, isang bagay na nais pigilan ng Blue Eagles at bawiin ang korona na nakakawala sa kanila noong nakaraang Mayo.
“That intact roster is a championship roster and that’s a championship coaching staff,” sabi ni Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin, pinuri si UP counterpart Goldwin Monteverde.
“They did a phenomenal job last season, they did a phenomenal job against NU (National University) in the Final Four, but I know how pressure weighs on you. They will be feeling the pressure,” dagdag pa niya.
Walang nakapigil sa kanya sa paggiya sa Blue Eagles sa tatlong sunod na titulo mula 2017 hanggang 19, si Baldwin ay nakakita ng katapat sa katauhan ni Monteverde, na sa kanyang unang season sa Fighting Maroons ay tinapos ang 36-year championship drought, anim na buwan na ang nakalilipas.
Sa muling pagtatagpo ng dalawa sa brilliant collegiate coaching minds ng bansa, inaabangan na ni Baldwin ang duelo nila ni Monteverde sa pinakamalaking entablado ng liga.
“Goldwin is smart and he knows that we know what’s going on. He knows that we have a very good coaching staff. UP came out today and ran virtually an entirely new offense,” sabi ni Baldwin.
“That’s why you see all the radical changes that a coach makes and it’s not just changing the names of plays, entirely new plays out there but I understand that. I’ve been in his shoes and I know what the pressure is like he’s feeling right now,” dagdag pa niya.
Isa sa pangunahing dahilan ng tagumpay ng Fighting Maroons ay si Senegalese slotman Malick Diouf, na tinatayang magwawagi ng season MVP honors.
Ang Season 84 Finals MVP, si Diouf ay hindi lamang pinagkukunan ng lakas sa gitna para sa UP, kundi maging sa loob ng court.
“I see Malick, you know, besides dun sa title, yung effort niya is you know, para sa akin, every day even in practice, even outside the way he leads his team, the way he gives pieces of advice,” ani Monteverde.
“Kumbaga, every day he’s being an MVP sa team namin,” dagdag pa niya.
Na-split ng Blue Eagles at Fighting Maroons ang kanilang head-to-head elimination round meeting.
