Games today:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
9 a.m. — NU vs Ateneo (women’s final four)
11 a.m. — UST vs UP (women’s final four)
2 p.m. — Ateneo vs Adamson
(men’s playoff)
Defending champion Ateneo de Manila University treks unfamiliar territory to try to save its reign when it faces Adamson University in a playoff for the last bus ride to the Final Four of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 men’s basketball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
At stake in the scheduled 2 p.m. third clash between the Blue Eagles and the Falcons is the right to take on top seed twice-to-beat University of the Philippines on Saturday.
With its back against the wall, Ateneo is going all out in the win-or-go-home battle to avoid missing the semifinals for the first time in 10 years.
The Blue Eagles finished the elimination round with a 7-7 win-loss record — the same slate they had when they came short of a Final Four stint in 2013 — tied with the Falcons that forced a playoff for the No. 4 seed.
While Adamson is on a two-game roll, Ateneo will be coming off a 69-72 defeat at the hands of semis-bound and bitter rival De La Salle University last Saturday.
The Blue Eagles and Falcons split their elimination round head-to-head with Adamson winning the first encounter, 74-71, in overtime. Ateneo got its revenge in a controversial 62-58 victory that saw Adamson coach Nash Racela submit an apology to the UAAP for his scathing remarks over the officiating after the game.
Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin acknowledges that his players will be up for a dogfight to save their season.
“Adamson is really tough. They’re one of the tough teams to contend with. We’ll see how the game goes,” Baldwin said.
The Kiwi-American mentor will pin his hopes on veterans Kai Ballungay, Chris Koon and Sean Quitevis as well as to Mason Amos, Jared Brown and foreign student athlete center Joseph Obasa.
Living to fight another day will be the mindset of the Falcons in their third straight battle for survival.
Following its defeat to Ateneo two weeks ago that pushed it to the brink of elimination, Adamson went on to win consecutive do-or-die games over Final Four third seed National University and University of the East.
While the Blue Eagles are in their first sudden death for a semis seat in the Final Four era, the Falcons are in the same situation as last year.
Adamson pulled off an upset of La Salle in the playoff for the last semis berth in Season 85.
