| UAAP |
Day of reckoning for UST, La Salle
By Alder T. Almo, Uaapsports.com
09 September 2009 11:32 PM
Manila – It doesn’t get any closer than this.
The race to the Final Four heats up in the penultimate day of eliminations in the 72nd UAAP men’s basketball with
two crucial games slated on Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum.
University of Sto. Tomas (UST) is down to its final chance of grabbing the last Final Four ticket without any hinge as its
goes up against Final Four-bound University of the East (UE) at 4 p.m.
However, the Tigers (6-7) could advance outright even before the tip-off if the De La Salle Green Archers (5-8) fail to
win over the cellar dweller National University (NU) Bullldogs in the first game at 2 p.m.
A playoff for the remaining semis berth will be forged if La Salle gets past NU (2-11) and UST loses to UE (9-4), giving
both the Archers and the Tigers identical 6-8 slates at the end of eliminations.
La Salle, which is coming off a heartbreaking 69-71 overtime loss to Far Eastern University, got a new crack following
the shocking 64-83 loss of UST to also-ran Adamson last Sunday.
The Archers, who have not missed the Final Four since its introduction in 1994 (except when they were suspended in
2006), are expected to pour it all out against the Bulldogs whom they routed, 68-48, in the first round.
“We have to take care of our business against NU and hopes UE wins in the second game for us to have a chance.
As I’ve said before, our fate is not entirely in our hands,” said La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren.
dylan ababouThe Tigers, meanwhile, are facing a tall order against the streaking Warriors, who have lost their
chance to possibly force a two-way tie for the no. 2 spot when the Tamaraws won against the Archers.
But despite this, UE coach Lawrence Chongson does not want to hold his cards against the Tigers.
“After our last loss (to Ateneo), the countdown has begun. We’ve told ourselves that we have to win 10 games to win
the championship. We’ve already won five. We have to win five more,” Chongson said. “We don’t want to go in the
Final Four with a loss.”
UST escaped with a 92-88 come-from-behind win against then inconsistent UE early in the first round. But the
Warriors have since shown consistency in winning seven of their last nine games, including five straight victories.
That cannot be said to the Tigers, who have been playing jittery games at the crucial stretch of the season, bungling
their first two chances to nail the last semis berth outright.
Dylan Ababou, Khasim Mirza and rookie sensation Jeric Teng, who were limited to only 21 combined points in the
loss to the Falcons, have to put their acts together to avert what could be a disastrous collapse for the Season 69
champions.
By Alder T. Almo, Uaapsports.com
09 September 2009 11:32 PM
Manila – It doesn’t get any closer than this.
The race to the Final Four heats up in the penultimate day of eliminations in the 72nd UAAP men’s basketball with
two crucial games slated on Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum.
University of Sto. Tomas (UST) is down to its final chance of grabbing the last Final Four ticket without any hinge as its
goes up against Final Four-bound University of the East (UE) at 4 p.m.
However, the Tigers (6-7) could advance outright even before the tip-off if the De La Salle Green Archers (5-8) fail to
win over the cellar dweller National University (NU) Bullldogs in the first game at 2 p.m.
A playoff for the remaining semis berth will be forged if La Salle gets past NU (2-11) and UST loses to UE (9-4), giving
both the Archers and the Tigers identical 6-8 slates at the end of eliminations.
La Salle, which is coming off a heartbreaking 69-71 overtime loss to Far Eastern University, got a new crack following
the shocking 64-83 loss of UST to also-ran Adamson last Sunday.
The Archers, who have not missed the Final Four since its introduction in 1994 (except when they were suspended in
2006), are expected to pour it all out against the Bulldogs whom they routed, 68-48, in the first round.
“We have to take care of our business against NU and hopes UE wins in the second game for us to have a chance.
As I’ve said before, our fate is not entirely in our hands,” said La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren.
dylan ababouThe Tigers, meanwhile, are facing a tall order against the streaking Warriors, who have lost their
chance to possibly force a two-way tie for the no. 2 spot when the Tamaraws won against the Archers.
But despite this, UE coach Lawrence Chongson does not want to hold his cards against the Tigers.
“After our last loss (to Ateneo), the countdown has begun. We’ve told ourselves that we have to win 10 games to win
the championship. We’ve already won five. We have to win five more,” Chongson said. “We don’t want to go in the
Final Four with a loss.”
UST escaped with a 92-88 come-from-behind win against then inconsistent UE early in the first round. But the
Warriors have since shown consistency in winning seven of their last nine games, including five straight victories.
That cannot be said to the Tigers, who have been playing jittery games at the crucial stretch of the season, bungling
their first two chances to nail the last semis berth outright.
Dylan Ababou, Khasim Mirza and rookie sensation Jeric Teng, who were limited to only 21 combined points in the
loss to the Falcons, have to put their acts together to avert what could be a disastrous collapse for the Season 69
champions.
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