NOW OR NEVER: Struggling UE fights for dear life 

Games today:

(FilOil EcoOil Centre)

5:30 p.m. — UP vs UE

For the fifth and last time, University of the East (UE) shoots for an outright Final Four entry in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament today at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The skidding Red Warriors face the tall task of ending a 15-year semifinal drought against powerhouse University of the Philippines (UP) priming up for the next round as the No. 2 seed.

Tipoff of the lone match in the penultimate elimination round playdate is set at 5:30 p.m.

UE slid to the solo fourth spot with a 6-7 win-loss record after an alarming four-game slump.

Those four excruciating losses have pulled the Red Warriors into a precarious position of being dragged into a dangerous playoff for the last bus ride to the Final Four.

Lurking behind UE is Adamson University with a 5-8 card. Another loss by the Red Warriors and a Falcons victory over also-ran Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday will forge a sudden death for the right to face top seeded and twice-to-beat defending champion De La Salle University in the Final Four.

University of Santo Tomas (UST) has locked the No. 3 seed with a 7-7 slate and will challenge the twice-to-beat Fighting Maroons in the other semis pairing.

The Red Warriors, hoping to make it to the next round for the first time since a runner-up finish in 2009, need to be laser-focused to get back at the same rivals that handed them a 71-81 defeat in the first round.

Prized center Precious Momowei is back after serving a one-game suspension in UE’s 67-71 loss to the Blue Eagles last week.

The Red Warriors will rely on the foreign student-athlete, who was ejected in a loss to UST after two unsportsmanlike fouls, and their local cast led by John Abate, Wello Lingolingo, Ethan Galang and Jack Cruz-Dumont.   

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde braces for a desperate charge by UE, knowing very well the magnitude of the game for the Red Warriors.  

“Well, I guess, we will always prepare for it in the best way that we could and when it comes to that day, we would always demand from ourselves to give our all, at both ends,” he said.

The Fighting Maroons eliminated Far Eastern University, 86-78, last Saturday to end a two-game funk.   

The tactician, who steered UP to its first title in 36 years three seasons ago, also expects his wards to go all-out to build momentum heading into the Final Four.  

“After UE, we’ll be in the Final Four. We’re also thinking about how to prepare for that. We’ll use our last game to learn and see where we need to improve on going towards (the Final Four),” Monteverde said.