BUMPY ROAD AHEAD: Dangerous UE blocking UP’s Final Four path

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

3:30 p.m. — Adamson vs Ateneo

6:30 p.m. — UP vs UE

University of the Philippines (UP) aims for at least a playoff for a Final Four seat against University of the East (UE) in an exciting second-round rematch in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Fighting Maroons are within striking distance of a sixth straight Final Four appearance, sporting a 7-1 win-loss record at the solo second spot behind semifinals-bound defending champion De La Salle University (9-1).

But UP must first take care of the dangerous Red Warriors in their 6:30 p.m. encounter while resurgent Ateneo de Manila University seeks a third straight win against free-falling Adamson University in the 3:30 p.m. curtain-raiser.

Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde reminded his squad that the road to the next round will be harder, especially in a wide-open race for the remaining Final Four seats.

And replicating their first-round win over a now well-adjusted UE won’t be a walk in the park.

“Well, being consistent with what we always tell them, we must be ready to respond to the challenge at hand,” Monteverde said.

UP bounced back from a sorry loss to La Salle in a rematch of last year’s finals to end the first round with an 83-73 win over University of Santo Tomas on 13 October.

The Fighting Maroons defeated the Red Warriors, 81-71, in their first meeting last month.

Although its hot five-game winning streak was snapped by the Green Archers, 68-77, the last time out, UE remains dangerous as it tries to keep a tight grip of the solo third spot.

The Red Warriors carry a 5-3 card ahead of fourth-running Growling Tigers (4-6).

Prized center Precious Momowei leads UE’s assault with John Abate, Jack Cruz-Dumont, Ethan Galang and Wello Lingolingo, hoping to make up for a two-point outing against La Salle, backing him up against the star-studded UP roster.

The Fighting Maroons are banking on JD Cagulangan, who punished the Red Warriors with 21 points in the first round, Season 86 Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez, Quentin Millora-Brown, Harold Alarcon and Terrence Fortea to complete an elims sweep of the Red Warriors.

On the other hand, the Blue Eagles are slowly showing signs of life following a forgettable first round.

Ateneo struck its first win streak of the season after beating National University, 70-68, and UST, 67-64, for a 3-6 slate in a three-way tie at fifth to seventh with Adamson and Far Eastern University.

“You pop the bubble every time you get a win and some of the pressure goes off,” Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin said.

“But it kind of depends on what your perspective is and what you’re looking at. And, you know, we’re trying to achieve some things this season now. Nobody’s going to hide the fact that it was a horrendous, difficult first round.”

The Blue Eagles’ lone win in the opening round came at the expense of the Falcons, 60-51, last 21 September.

Adamson is on a four-game skid and is coming off a 45-70 drubbing at the hands of La Salle, which in the first round crushed the Falcons by 30 points.