FINALS TARGET NG ATENEO

Standings

W            L

*Ateneo              13           0

*UP                       9              4

*FEU     8              6

*UST                     8              6

DLSU     6              7

AdU                       4              9

UE                          3              10

NU                         2              11

*semifinalist

Mga laro ngayon:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

10:30 a.m. – UE vs NU (Men)

12:30 p.m. – DLSU vs AdU (Men)

4 p.m. – Ateneo vs UP (Men)

UMAASA ang Ateneo na makakamit ang kanilang kauna-unahang UAAP men’s basketball elimination round sweep sa kasaysayan ng eskuwelahan sa pagsagupa sa Katipunan rival University of the Philippines ngayon sa Mall of Asia Arena.

Yumuko sa kanilang unang paghaharap noong nakaraang Set. 29,  63-89, umaasa si coach Bo Perasol na mas maganda ang ipakikita ng Fighting Maroons sa pagkakataong ito sa kanilang pinakaaabangang 4 p.m. duel sa three-peat seeking Blue Eagles.

“What can I say about Ateneo? We just have to come out really strong. We have two days to prepare against them, we’ll give it our best shot. They’re not the champion for nothing,” wika ni Perasol.

Kailangan ng UP, na nakasisiguro na ng twice-to-beat semifinals incentive sa pagiging second-ranked team sa eliminations, na magpamalas ng A-game upang madala ang Ateneo sa Final Four format.

Ang panalo ng Eagles laban sa Maroons ay maglalagay sa semis sa step-ladder format kung saan makakalaban ng UP ang mananalo sa pagitan ng No. 3 Far Eastern University at ng No. 4 University of Santo Tomas para sa karapatang makasagupa ang Ateneo sa best-of-three Finals.

Para naman sa Final Four format, makakabangga ng Eagles ang Growling Tigers, habang makakaharap ng Maroons ang Tamaraws sa isa pang pairing.

Sinibak ng UP,  nasa kanilang ikalawang sunod na semis appearance magmula noong 1996-97, ang La Salle sa isa pang close game, 71-68, noong nakaraang Linggo.

“As I was saying, as we get deep into the playoffs, we need to know how to discipline ourselves, we need how to win games. I really think that despite all of those, we were able to come back. At least right now, the character of the team we showed now and that is important,” ani  Perasol.

Hindi maitatatwang ang disiplina ng Eagles sa laro ang susi sa kanilang kahanga-hangang 13-0 record.

“I think in the last couple of weeks we’ve seen our team really transfer our work ethic from practice onto the court into the game. That’s very gratifying as a coach. And I think they’re enjoying it a lot too,” sabi ni Ateneo mentor Tab Baldwin.