Eagles, Tams a step closer to dream match

MANILA, Philippines - The 72nd UAAP men’s basketball tournament reaches its climax after a season of stunning reversals marked by the exit of a traditional contender when the Final Four gets under way today at the Araneta Coliseum.

But despite the surprises, the tournament still ran true to form with defending champion Ateneo and Far Eastern University living up to their pre-season billing as chief rivals for this year’s crown.

By topping the double-round elims, the Eagles and the Tams only need to win once over the University of Santo Tomas Tigers and the University of the East Warriors, respectively, to arrange a dream title showdown.

Ateneo emerged as the top seed after winning all but one of their 14 games. If not for their shock 58-68 loss to UP Maroons in the first round, the Eagles would have swept their way to the finals instead of going through the Final Four phase.

But finishing the elims with a 13-1 (win-loss) record was a feat in itself as Ateneo matched its 2008 performance, which saw the Eagles top the qualifier and soar all the way to the championship with a sweep of the La Salle Green Archers.

“Our mission is accomplished as far as getting the No. 1 spot after the end of this elimination round. Now we look forward to the Final Four against UST,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.

Far Eastern U came close to foiling Ateneo and capturing the No. 1 spot. But the Tams blew the chance with a fourth quarter meltdown against the Eagles in their final elims encounter.

Needing just to win by five points or more to get the top seeding in the Final Four, FEU looked headed to snatching the coveted spot after posting a 67-52 bulge. But the Tams lost their composure and cracked under pressure, dropping a heartbreaking 73-74 decision to settle for the No. 2 seed with an 11-3 mark.

FEU coach Glenn Capacio said the stinging setback is already a thing of the past. “We’re not thinking of it anymore because our main focus now is the Final Four,” said Capacio.

But what could spell the difference between victory and defeat for FEU is the absence of top player Mark Barroca, who has reportedly decided to leave the team in the face of game-fixing controversy.

For finishing third this year with a 10-4 mark, University of the East improved from its fourth place finish in the elims last year. And the Warriors underscored their readiness in this year’s Final Four by sweeping their last six games.

University of Santo Tomas, the 2006 titlist, finished with on a losing run for a 6-8 card but still ended up snaring the last ticket in the Final Four, thanks to National University, which foiled La Salle’s bid for a playoff for the last slot.

But the Tigers will need more than luck and outside help when they square off with the fancied Eagles in the other Final Four pairing set tomorrow. UST needs to beat Ateneo twice to advance to the finals.

Like the Tigers, the Warriors also face a tough task against the Tams in the first set of the Final Four today. Unlike the España-based squad, however, UE has the momentum as it tries to foil FEU’s bid for the finals.

But the Tams are fancied to stop the Warriors’ run with a victory in their 3:30 p.m. encounter before another expected huge crowd and seal the first seat in the best-of-three finals.

Tomorrow, Ateneo will try to book the other championship berth against UST, also at 3:30 p.m., the third time these two schools will be facing each other in the Final Four.

The Tigers won the first one exactly a decade ago when, as the No. 2 seed, they edged the Joe Lipa-mentored Eagles, the No. 3 seed, in a 75-74 squeaker.

Eight seasons later, the two teams met again in the stepladder semis with No. 3 Ateneo, now under Norman Black, prevailing over No. 4 UST, 69-64.

The Tams, on the other hand, have beaten the Warriors four times in their Final Four duels, taking advantage of their twice-to-beat bonus to prevail in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

UE actually won in 1998 when as No. 3, it stunned the second seeded FEU, 81-68. But the Tams came back with an 83-61 rout the next game to win the series.

In the Ateneo-UST duel, the Eagles appear to have the materials and the will to dispose of the Tigers in one game. Ateneo swept UST in emphatic fashions this season, posting a 93-77 win last July 19 and cruising to an 80-70 victory last Aug. 23.

In contrast, FEU, despite boasting of Smart Gilas Pilipinas standouts Aldrech Ramos, Mark Barroca and JR Cawaling, had a hard time against a tough UE team.

The Tams barely won their first round encounter, 76-72, last Aug. 9 before the Warriors struck back to score an 87-72 rout last Aug. 23.

Odds are also stacked against the No. 3 and No. 4 teams in the Final Four.

The No. 1 seed has beaten the No. 4 seed in all 14 times the Final Four was applied with only four going the full route.

UE swept its way to the No. 1 seed in 2007 with a sweep of the elims only to lose to No. 2 La Salle, which needed two games to edge No. 3 Ateneo in the stepladder semis, and then swept the Warriors to clinch the crown.

The No. 2 seed, on the other hand, has defeated the No. 3 seed in nine of the 15 occasions with six needing an extra game to advance.

This means FEU has a 60-percent chance to beat UE.

Incidentally, UE blew its twice-to-beat advantage twice – against Ateneo in 2002 when the Eagles won, and against UST three seasons ago when the Tigers completed one of the most improbable title conquests in league history.

Curiously, the Warriors lost all 10 of their Final Four assignments and won only once in 14 appearances. Interestingly, it came at the expense of the Tams, 81-68, 11 seasons ago.

“We’ve done what we could to make it this far and we will do all we can to go farther,” said UE coach Lawrence Chongson, who brought his team to Mandaue City in Cebu for a five-day team-building session in preparation for its showdown with FEU.

Though odds are overwhelming, the Tigers could recall the spirit of 2006 when as underdogs they clawed their way from a 2-5 (win-loss) start to make it into the Final Four as No. 3 seed, stunned the No. 2 Warriors twice and then bounced back from a Game One loss to the Eagles by winning Game Two via rout and the deciding Game Three in a thriller of an overtime win.

“Don’t count us out – remember 2006 or the year we came from behind to win the title,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio.

But Black, who steered Ateneo to a sweep over La Salle in last year’s finale, vowed to finish off the Tigers right in Game One.

“We’ll go for the win, that’s for sure,” he said.