Tamaraws plot Tigers downfall

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

4:30 p.m. — FEU vs UST

6:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs NU

After breaking through in its previous game, Far Eastern University (FEU) sets its sights on its second straight win to close the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on a high note.

But it will be easier said than done for the Sean Chambers-mentored Tamaraws as they will be facing a wounded University of Santo Tomas (UST) side today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Chambers, a decorated former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) import, scored his first league victory as head coach after FEU outlasted Ateneo de Manila University, 66-65, in overtime last Sunday.

With the Tamaraws showing significant improvement in maturity and crunch-time composure, Chambers is confident of his boys’ chances in their 4:30 p.m. clash.

“I feel, like I said last game, moving forward, after that game against (defending champion) La Salle, we’re going to be a problem for the rest of the teams in this league. We’re going to continue to grow,” he said.

Chambers will pin his hopes on Jorick Bautista, Royce Alforque, Mo Konateh and top rookies Janrey Pasaol and Veejay Pre to lift FEU once again in order wiggle out of a three-way tie with Ateneo and National University at the bottom with identical 1-5 win-loss slates.

The Growling Tigers, however, will come out ready to brawl in their hunt to arrest a two-game slide.

A promising start after winning back-to-back games has turned sour for the España-based squad after it lost three of its last four outings that pushed it back to fourth to fifth spots together with Adamson University.

The Tigers lost to the unbeaten University of the Philippines, 70-81, after squandering a nine-point lead in the first half last Sunday.

Mo Tounkara, Nic Cabanero and Forthsky Padrigao will try to rally UST to rediscover its winning ways.

Interestingly, Chambers and Tigers coach Pido Jarencio will also rekindle their rivalry after facing off many times during their PBA days in the mid to late 90s.

Chambers was Alaska’s resident import back in the day and even helped the franchise bag a grand slam while Jarencio was a dangerous sniper and enforcer of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

“If Pido can put on a UST jersey and I can wear an FEU, I will foul him hard for the times that he fouled me back in his Ginebra days. I owe him most definitely. So maybe we’ll have a coaches’ league one day. But I’m still mad at Pido. Yes. He knows it too,” Chambers said jokingly.