Games today:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
2 p.m. — Adamson vs UST
4 p.m. — NU vs Ateneo
Wounded defending champion Ateneo de Manila University is now carrying a must-win mindset with just five games left in its elimination campaign in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 men’s basketball tournament.
Still winless in the second round, the Blue Eagles approach their game against a dangerous National University today at the Mall of Asia Arena with a sense of urgency.
Ateneo is looking to arrest a two-game skid in the 4 p.m. main game or risk slipping out of the top four if the confident Adamson University side gets past another slumping squad in University of Santo Tomas in the curtain-raiser at 2 p.m.
Both the Blue Eagles and Falcons share identical 4-5 win-loss records at fourth to fifth spots.
Sustaining momentum has been the major issue for Ateneo the whole season.
After stringing up back-to-back wins to end the first round including an overtime victory over University of the Philippines, the Tab Baldwin-mentored Blue Eagles dropped their next two games.
Ateneo was swept by Far Eastern University in their elims head-to-head before suffering a 60-65 setback at the hands of league-leading Fighting Maroons last Sunday before the weeklong holiday break.
This puts Baldwin’s squad in a precarious position in the Final Four race and it doesn’t get easier as the Blue Eagles face the same team that handed them an opening day loss, 64-77, last 30 September.
“(We have to) win them all. We want to win them one at a time,” Baldwin said.
The Kiwi-American mentor knows that NU has suffered quite a few injuries to its players but remains wary of other Bulldogs ready to step up.
“(Mike) Malonzo, (Jake) Figueroa, Omar John. Kean Baclaan. These guys are tough. These are really tough players. Their core is still really talented and really tough. And they’re really playing for the No.1. seed. They’re not gonna be easy,” Baldwin said.
Chris Koon has to make up for his scoreless outing in the previous game to get the Blue Eagles out of their losing funk. Mason Amos, Joseph Obasa, Jared Brown and Kai Ballungay all have to bring their A-game to lift Ateneo back up.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are currently at second spot with a 7-2 card behind idle UP (8-1).
NU seeks to get back on the winning track after getting hammered by De La Salle University, 78-88, last week in a game that saw the Jeff Napa-coached team miss the services of starting guard Steve Nash Enriquez (dislocated jaw), Jolo Manansala (groin), Ken Padrones (orbital bone) and Reinhard Jumamoy.
“Hopefully, I would see a ‘next man up’ mentality among my available players against Ateneo,” Napa, whose injured players’ return remains day-to-day, said.
In the other pairing, the Falcons have already accepted that outgoing veteran Jerom Lastimosa has already seen his last action in the collegiate ranks after suffering a full anterior cruciate ligament tear on his left knee.
But Joshua Yerro, Joem Sabandal, Jhon Arthur Calisay, Vince Magbuhos and Didap Hanapi are all ready to carry on their shoulders Adamson’s Final Four drive.
The Falcons ended a three-game slide after beating Far Eastern University, 63-54, last week. Adamson is looking to complete an elims sweep of UST after its 79-76 overtime escape in the first round.
The Tigers, meanwhile, are at the bottom with a 1-8 slate and on the brink of bowing out of the semis race.
UST dropped back-to-back games including a 73-86 loss to University of the East.
Compounding the Tigers’ woes is the departure of big man Adama Faye as he decided to go back to Senegal to recover from a nagging back injury that limited him to only two games this season.
Another loss will eliminate UST from Final Four contention.
