Tall order: Can Blue Eagles solve Maroons puzzle?

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. — NU vs UE

5:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs UP

Ateneo De Manila University and University of the Philippines (UP) engage in the first serving of the Battle of Katipunan with the solo lead on the line in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89 men’s basketball tournament today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Coming off impressive victories to start their respective campaigns, the two teams part ways after the 5:30 p.m. clash, with the winner retaining the hold of the top spot before the league goes on a weeklong break to give way to the Philippines’ participation in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games.

Meanwhile, National University (NU) and University of the East (UE) try to recover from their opening day setbacks to barge into the win column in their 3 p.m. pairing.

It will be all business when the Blue Eagles and last year’s runner-up Fighting Maroons meet once again on the court to rekindle their neighborly rivalry.

However, UP has Ateneo’s number in the last three seasons, winning six straight head-to-head matches.

The new-look Fighting Maroons fended off University of Santo Tomas, 92-85, last Sunday in a rematch of last season’s Final Four.

Francis Nnoruka’s double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds and offensive support from Noy Remogat, Miguel Yniguez, Gani Stevens and transferees Rainier Maga and Veejay Pre carried UP past the hard-fighting Growling Tigers.

Although fresh off a victory and with a deeper bench, Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde knows that UP still has a long way to go in its quest to reclaim the title it lost last year.

“Like I said, it’s just the first game. There’s a lot of things to learn from as we go along in the tournament,” Monteverde said.

“So every day, we put up the same commitment that we did the whole year and just focus on growing. Whether from a win, let’s look at what went wrong and what we should do. Just continue working,” he added.

On the other hand, the Blue Eagles are on a high after blowing out the Red Warriors, 101-74, last Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena to begin their journey to end a two-season semifinal drought and healing from the tragic deaths of Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia during the offseason.

Rookie Kieffer Alas is the player to watch for the Blue Eagles following an impressive debut of 24 points in an efficient 8-of-16 field goal shooting.

New head coach Louie Alas is also banking on veteran guard Jared Bahay to lead Ateneo along with Andrew Bongo, Jay-M Leal, Grayson Rogers and EJ Kapihe.

“After the tragedy happened, we had this new system. I think I was just willing, no, not only me, we were just willing to learn the system of Coach Louie and just trusted him, and I think it’s doing good, doing better,” Bahay said.

“But it’s just the first game (that we won), we have to prepare for the upcoming game, which is a big game this Saturday.”

In the other pairing, NU is looking to rebound from a close defeat to defending champion De La Salle University and add more woes to the hapless UE.

The Bulldogs absorbed an 87-89 loss to the Green Archers last Sunday in Season 88 Final Four rematch that they could’ve won if not for the missed open three-pointer by PJ Palacielo at the buzzer.

Ending a 21-game losing skid that spanned three seasons is the mission of the Red Warriors.

UE has not won against NU since the first round of Season 87.