Ateneo-La Salle title duel begins

The match made in heaven unfurls today when historic rivals Ateneo and La Salle square off in Game One of their best-of-three showdown for the 71st University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball crown at the Araneta Coliseum.

A crowd attendance that should surpass previous league records is expected when the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers, with a fierce rivalry that covers business and politics as well, take to the floor at exactly 4 p.m.

Security will be tight at the venue and authorities will be on the lookout for scalpers. Tickets have been sold out as early as Monday, and on eBay a patron ticket with a face value of only P350 is being sold for P25,000.

It is the fourth time in UAAP history that the two teams figure in the finals. Ateneo prevailed in 1988 and 2002 while La Salle, winner of five titles in the last 10 years, won it in 2001.

Things only get bigger, more exciting each time they meet.

While Ateneo has beaten La Salle in their two previous meetings this season, there’s really no favorite when it comes to the finals.

“On Sunday we will know who the favorites really are,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, an American with 11 titles in the Philippine Basketball Association but not one in his four years with the Blue Eagles.

La Salle coach Franz Pumaren, with five crowns under his belt, has branded his Green Archers as the underdogs.

Black said, “The game will be won on the court, and not by labels or titles or whether you’re the underdog or not. You still have to show up on Sunday and play. UE (University of the East) was the favorite against La Salle last year but it got swept in the finals.”

“You must remember that La Salle is the defending champion,” he added.

But Pumaren still insists that they’re the underdogs.

“If you look at my line-up, we don’t have the blue-chip rookies but one thing I’m proud about my team is that we can rise to the occasion,” said Pumaren, a former teammate and assistant coach of Black’s in the PBA.

He said the finals is no longer about the conditioning.

“It’s now more on how you prepare the mental approach. It’s the team that knows how to handle the pressure better that is going to win,” he said.

“But we always consider La Salle as the best-conditioned team in the league, and we know that we have to be in great shape to be able to match them. If we are in good shape and we can match their energy, then our talent will show up, too,” said Black.

Up in front is Chris Tiu, who’s very difficult to stop once he gets going and starts hitting his target. Then there’s center Rabeh-Al Hussaini, a very strong candidate if not a cinch to win this year’s MVP crown.

Also in the fold are defensive gem Nonoy Baclao, jaded rookie Ryan Buenafe, Eric Salamat, Yuri Escueta and playmaker Jai Reyes.

Ateneo topped this year’s eliminations, losing only once in 14 games, to Far Eastern University.

“Our goal is not complete yet. But whatever it takes we will get it done. All I can say is that our goal is not complete yet. And that is to win the championship,” he said.

“Right now we have to beat La Salle to win it. We have to focus on the goal we have to reach and that’s winning the championship,” he added.

Just the same, La Salle has a handful of players it can really depend upon.

JV Casio, in his last year for La Salle, is determined to win a second straight championship, as are Rico Maierhofer, James Mangahas, Peejay Barua, Bader Malabes, Simon Atkins, PJ Walsham, Joshua Webb and Indonesian Ferdinand.

“We’re ready,” Pumaren said yesterday after presiding over team practice that started much earlier at 11 a.m. “We just walked it through, no hard stuff but more of mental preparations.”

“We’re okay,” he said.