BRUISED BUT NOT OUT

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

2 p.m. — UST vs Adamson

4:30 p.m. — UE vs La Salle

De La Salle University won’t be treating winless and undermanned University of the East (UE) lightly as it eyes to keep its momentum going in the chase for a Final Four spot in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 men’s basketball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Even with the loss of Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan to season-ending knee injuries, the depleted Green Archers found renewed fire in a blazing three-game winning streak that lifted them to a 5-3 win-loss record tied with University of Santo Tomas (UST) at third to fourth spot.

La Salle will try to repeat over the Red Warriors at 4:30 p.m. after Adamson University battles the Tigers at 2 p.m.

The Green Archers had to claw their way out of a 21-point deficit in the third quarter before eking out a 111-110 overtime win over UE in their first-round meeting.

It was a victory paid with a steep price after Baclaan suffered a right MCL injury when Red Warrior Wello Lingolingo landed on his leg while diving for the loose ball.

Lingolingo was ejected for an unsportsmanlike foul (Category 2) and slapped with a three-game suspension. UE head coach Chris Gavina was meted out a four-game ban for his profanity-laced remarks after that game.

La Salle mentor Topex Robinson expects a dogfight against a desperate team still searching for the elusive victory.

“We always have like a score to settle with UE. Every time we play UE, they always have a breakout game. That’s why we’re going to remind each other that it’s going to be a roller coaster experience for us. Making sure that we have so much respect for (UE), they’ve always came out blazing against us so it’s the way that we’re gonna honor this game,” Robinson said.

UE has yet to barge into the win column after dropping its first eight starts for a total of 14 straight losses overall since the second round of last season. The Red Warriors are also still handicapped with Lingolingo serving the last of his suspensions and Gavina still out.

But Robinson remains wary of the Red Warriors pulling off an upset.

“This game has been good to us and we have to respect it and that’s the way how we’re gonna play UE on Wednesday. They’re always gonna be a deadly team when they play against La Salle, so that’s the reminder to everyone on this team,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Falcons are also gunning for a fourth win in a row to improve their 4-4 card and firm up their chances of making it to the Final Four as the race nears its climax.

Adamson head coach Nash Racela preaches consistency and playing in sync from tipoff to the final buzzer to replicate its 69-59 first round shocker over UST.

“When we’re in sync, we always have a chance,” he said.

“We can’t be in tune today and then off tomorrow. That’s where our inconsistency comes from. We really have to find out why we keep being inconsistent, especially since we’re facing a very strong UST team.”

The Tigers are currently in a slump, losing back-to-back games.

Nic Cabañero, rookie center Collins Akowe and Forthsky Padrigao need to get their acts together to arrest UST’s skid.