By MARK REY MONTEJO
Reigning champion University of the Philippines (UP) looks to close the gap on league leader National University (NU) when it seeks payback against University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Tip-off is at 4:30 p.m., with the Fighting Maroons aiming to extend their winning streak to three games, improve their 6-3 record, and move closer to the Bulldogs, who currently sit atop the standings at 8-2.
In the first game at 2 p.m., University of the East (UE) will try to snap its winless skid at 0-8 when it faces struggling Ateneo (4-5).
Fresh off an 89-75 victory over Far Eastern University, UP is determined to avenge its 87-67 first-round loss to UST and add to the woes of the Growling Tigers, who are reeling from a three-game losing streak.
Despite UST’s latest performances, UP is not taking its opponent lightly as each game is crucial in this stage of the tournament.
“Kita naman natin yung program ng UST, maganda. They were very competitive as a team,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
“But then for us, we’ll always focus on ourselves first… what needs to improve on. Importante samin right now, yung focus namin sa sarili namin then unti-unti working towards UST,” he added.
The Maroons hope the week-long respite would rejuvenate them, with Francis Nnoruka and Noy Remogat leading the way as effective reinforcements. Gani Stevens, Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, Jacob Bayla, and Harold Alarcon, for their parts, are slated to provide more firepower at the frontline.
UST, meanwhile, needed to regain its lost bearings after absorbing its latest 97-96 heartbreaking loss to Adamson last Oct. 29 to fuel its Final Four hopes.
Toting a 5-4 mark at fifth, a win for the Tigers would propel them for a share of third with their victims and the De La Salle Archers.
Nic Cabañero is expected to banner UST along with super rookie Collins Akowe and Forthsky Padrigao.
In the other pairing, UE guns to crawl out of the dark hole and nail that elusive first win against an equally struggling Ateneo, which has plummeted to its fifth straight defeat after and impressive 4-0 start.
Reeling from a recent 66-50 loss to NU, the Blue Eagles are expected to lean on Gilas Pilipinas’ newest recruit Kymani Ladi along with Jared Bahay, Dom Escobar, Jaden Lazo, Shawn Tuano and Ian Espinosa.
But UE has its own arsenal in Precious Momowei, as well as Wello Lingolingo, who is returning after serving a three-game suspension.
The Warriors, however, will be playing without suspended chief tactician Chris Gavina, who has one more game to serve.
In women’s play, UST shoots for its 10th consecutive triumph on the slumping UP side (2-7) in their 7 p.m. showdown, while Ateneo (6-3) tangles with also-ran UE (0-8). Morning matches feature 16U action between UE and Ateneo (7:30 a.m.) which comes before the 9:30 duel of UST and UP.
