Men’s Basketball standings
NU (7-2)
UP (6-3)
UST (5-3)
La Salle (5-3)
Adamson (4-4)
Ateneo (4-5)
FEU (3-6)
UE (0-8)
Games Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
8 a.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (women’s)
10 a.m. – NU vs UP (women’s)
12 p.m. – UST vs Adamson (women’s)
2 p.m. – UST vs Adamson (men’s)
4:30 p.m. – UE vs La Salle (men’s)
7 p.m. – UE vs La Salle (women’s)
By MARK REY MONTEJO
La Salle and Adamson are out to extend their winning runs to four games when they take on against separate foes in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Wednesday, Oct. 29.
The Archers, playing with the determination and ferocity of a man on a mission, battle the still winless University of the East Warriors at 4:30 p.m. just right after the 2 p.m. collision between the Falcons and the UST Tigers.
A triumph for La Salle and UST could build a three-way tie or a win from one of the two contenders will have a share of second spot with reigning champion University of the Philippines.
The absence of Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan has been doing wonders for the Archers so far as they are using it as an extra motivation – not as a hindrance – to make things happen.
Though the Warriors are hurting with the absence of coach Chris Gavina and top star Wello Lingolingo, the Archers are not going take the Recto-based squad lightly. Not anymore.
That’s because the Warriors may also use the absence of Gavina and Lingolingo as an added strength to climb a mountain and avenge their 110-111 overtime loss to the Archers, in a game where Gavina and Lingolingo were suspended.
Gavina was suspended for four games because of his rants directed at the officials and Lingolingo for his disqualifying foul on Baclaan.
“We always have a score to settle with UE, everytime we played against them, they always had a breakout game, so it’s gonna be a roller-coaster experience for us, making sure we have so much respect with UE,” said head coach Topex Robinson following La Salle’s 86-77 win over UST last weekend.
“We going to treat UE with respect… we’re going to come out there prepared, just like UE came out there and prepared for us, ganun din po kami,” added EJ Gollena, who went clutch in their last contest.
Aside from Gollena, Earl Abadam, Vhoris Marasigan, and Lebron Jhames Daep were key distributors for the team, thus reducing the burden for Jacob Cortez, JC Macalalag and skipper Mike Phillips a bit.
Phillips is struggling offensively, but is making sure to contribute in other things like manning the paint with authority.
Meanwhile, Adamson, which is gradually rising from the depths of despair, hopes to repeat against the host school to sustain its recovery.
The Falcons ended the Tigers’ 3-game winning run in the first round.
