Archers, Maroons seek finals berths

MANILA, Philippines —   Reigning champion La Salle and host University of the Philippines eye a rematch by attempting to make short work of their separate rivals in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball Final Four today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Hostilities fire off at 6:30 p.m. for the main game between the Archers and challenger Adamson Falcons following the duel of the Maroons and the Santo Tomas Tigers at 3:30 p.m.

Third-ranked Adamson and fourth-seeded Ateneo, at 12 p.m., figure in the first phase of the women’s basketball stepladder playoffs for the right to face No. 2 seed and reigning champion Santo Tomas. The survivor then gets to challenge former seven-peat champion and unbeaten National U in the finals.

But the spotlight is on La Salle and UP, needing only one win to arrange a finale date for the second straight season.

The Archers topped the elimination record with a 12-2 slate followed by the Maroons with an 11-3 record to gain twice-to-beat incentives against the fourth-ranked Falcons (6-8) and third-seeded Tigers (7-7), respectively.

Both squads also swept their semifinal counterparts in the elims with La Salle scoring a 27.5-point winning margin against Adamson to loom as the undisputed favorite.

For the Archers though, it’s now an entirely different arena and complacency would be the least of their mantra.

“Being No. 1 is not a thing anymore. It only got us to the Final Four but it hasn’t gotten us to the finals and eventually winning a championship,” said coach Topex Robinson as the Archers go up against the Falcons in high morale after a knockout win against the UE Warriors, 68-55, to get in.