Ateneo asam ang 5th title

MANILA, Philippines - Pipilitin ng lahat ng ko­po­nan na pigilin ang Blue Eagles na makopo ang pang limang sunod na ko­rona nito sa 75th UAAP men’s basketball tournament na magbubukas sa Sa­bado sa Mall of Asia Are­na sa Pasay City.

“We’re trying to accomplish something that hasn’t been done in recent years by trying to win our fifth straight championship,” sa­bi ni Ateneo De Manila Uni­versity head coach Norman Black kahapon.

Sa likod nina 2011 UA­AP Finals Most Valuable Pla­yer Nico Salva at roo­kies Kiefer Ravena at se­ven-foot center Greg Slaughter, itinayo ng Blue Eagles ang 13-0 record ba­go sila ginitla ng Adamson Falcons sa huling laro nila sa elimination round.

Sa pagpasok sa ka­nilang pang 13 sunod na Final Four, tinalo ng Ate­neo ang University of Sto. Tomas bago winalis ang kanilang best-of-three cham­pionship series ng Far Eastern University.

Bagamat paboritong ma­kapasok sa 2012 UAAP Fi­nals, sinabi naman ni Black na hindi ito madaling ga­win.

“We know it’s gonna be difficult because we lost so­me perimeter players,” wi­ka ni Black.

Ang Bulldogs ni mentor Eric Altamirano ang si­nasabing magbibigay ng ma­bigat na laban ngayong UA­AP season matapos mag­kampeon sa pre-season tournament.

“I think each team has a chance of winning it (UAAP title). Kami, ang modest goal namin is to be in the Fi­nal Four first,” wika ni Al­tamirano, dating coach ng Mo­biline (Talk ‘N Text) at Pu­refoods sa PBA.

Sa 74th season, nabi­gong makapasok sa Final Four ang NU, muling ba­ban­derahan ni 2011 UAAP MVP Bobby Ray Parks, Jr., mula sa kanilang 6-8 ba­raha.

Inaasahan ring gagawa ng ingay ang Tamaraws at Growling Tigers.