Visiting UST seeks payback vs Ateneo

Games today:

(Blue Eagle Gym)

1:30 p.m. — Adamson vs UE

4:30 p.m. — UST vs Ateneo

University of Santo Tomas (UST) gets a chance to return the favor when it visits Ateneo de Manila University in its nest at the Blue Eagle Gym in an exciting University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 men’s basketball tournament meeting on Saturday.

The Growling Tigers, fresh from a rebound win, hunt for payback and a share of the lead at 4:30 p.m.

UST sports a 3-1 win-loss record at solo third spot behind league-leading Blue Eagles and National University, parading identical 4-1 slates.

For the Tigers, the showdown is their much-awaited opportunity to avenge a stinging 64-67 second-round loss last season to the then visiting Ateneo at their UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena turf.

UST is coming off a 111-99 thrashing of University of the East last week in its home court in Espana to get back on the winning track after seeing its three-game win streak snapped by the Bulldogs.

“We look forward to playing against them and we also have high respect for them. Right now they’re the No. 1 team,” veteran Tigers gunner Nic Cabañero said.

Cabañero, who dropped 22 points last game, is expected to be the focal point of the Tigers’ offense alongside Forthsky Padrigao, Mark Llemit, Amiel Acido and rookie big man Collins Akowe.

“Basically, we just have to play basketball, no matter the venue, wherever it is, it’s just basketball. I don’t care wherever it is, I’m just gonna play basketball, that’s it,” said Akowe, who had a double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds last game.

But Ateneo will surely throw everything it has not only to protect its territory but also to recover from a devastating 69-83 drubbing at the hands of defending champion University of the Philippines last Wednesday that halted its four-game romp.

The Blue Eagles may be playing in their own gym for the first time in 20 years but head coach Tab Baldwin doesn’t see that as a guarantee for a favorable result.

“I don’t really put too much stock in the homecourt thing. I mean, we were undefeated at UST, so, you know, maybe that’s our homecourt,” Baldwin said.

What the American mentor wants to see is the positive response of his players following a loss.

Shawn Tuano, Kymani Ladi, Jared Bahay, Ian Espinosa, Dom Escobar and Joshua Lazaro must come up with their A-game for Ateneo to rediscover its winning ways.

The last time the league hosted a men’s twinbill at the Katipunan venue was on 8 September 2005, when the Norman Black-coached Ateneo defeated National University, 70-65, and the Arwind Santos-led Far Eastern University edged UST, 64-63, in the second round.

Meanwhile, struggling teams Adamson and UE clash in the curtain-raiser at 1:30 p.m.

The Falcons have only a single victory to show — a 62-59 escape via Ray Allen Torres’ game-winning triple — in five games, while the Red Warriors are 0-4 since coach Chris Gavina took over.