Halloween special: La Salle vs Ateneo headlines major playdate
ANOTHER intense battle awaits La Salle’s JC Macalalag and Ateneo’s prized rookie Kieffer Alas in their second-round meeting in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UAAP
Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
2:30 p.m. — NU vs UST
6 p.m. — Ateneo vs La Salle
Expect fireworks when defending champion De La Salle University and Ateneo De Manila University rekindle their storied rivalry in a high-stakes rematch in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89 men’s basketball tournament today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Bunched with idle Far Eastern University (FEU) in a three-way logjam in third spot, the Green Archers-Blue Eagles 6 p.m. showdown holds weight in their Final Four bids amid a tight playoffs race.
Both squads are fresh off back-to-back victories and sport 5-4 win-loss records tied with the Tamaraws, just behind league-leading University of the Philippines (7-2) and National University (6-3).
Ateneo is on a roll after breaking a three-game slump, beating FEU, 75-72, before completing an elims sweep of NU, 69-65, last Wednesday to prime up against its first-round tormentor.
“Our plan is to put our win (against NU) aside because we all know the rivalry, Ateneo-La Salle. We’re just gonna lock in on that, so we’re very excited. They beat us last round, they got the best of us. Hopefully, God-willing, we can hopefully get the job done this time,” said Ateneo top rookie Kieffer Alas.
Alas and veteran guard Jared Bahay teamed up in the massive win over the Bulldogs, delivering clutch three-pointers down the stretch.
The Blue Eagles are looking to string a third straight win for the first time in the season following a shaky first-round outing.
La Salle, on the other hand, targets a repeat of its 83-76 first-round victory over the Blue Eagles.
However, the Green Archers know making it two in a row against a surging Ateneo side is no easy task.
Making the job more challenging for La Salle is the uncertainty of veteran guard Jacob Cortez playing at his top form after hurting his knee in a scary overtime win over University of the East last 21 October.
As a precautionary measure, Cortez sat out the Green Archer’ 92-80 win over University of Santo Tomas (UST) last Sunday.
“There’s no damage, just a little bit of swelling. It’s a day-to-day basis. Hopefully, he’ll be ready come the Ateneo game,” La Salle assistant coach Oliver Bunyi.
JC Macalalag and Doy Dungo led the way in the absence of Cortez as they posted career-high scoring outputs with 28 and 24 points, respectively, and combined for 10 of the Green Archers’ season-best 14 three-pointers against the Growling Tigers.
Meanwhile, NU and UST cross paths at 2:30 p.m., hoping to get back on the right track after their recent setbacks.
The Bulldogs will try to strengthen their hold on the No. 2 spot and replicate their 87-85 overtime escape over the Tigers in the first round.
Reinhard Jumamoy banked in the game-winning triple with less than a second remaining in the thriller.
UST, meanwhile, holds a 4-5 record and is tied with Adamson University for sixth place.
The Growling Tigers cannot afford to drop more games or risk kissing their hopes for a third consecutive Final Four appearance goodbye.