Tams eye final vs Warriors

MANILA, Philippines - The UAAP Final Four kicks off today with Far Eastern University gunning for the first finals berth against University of the East without Mark Barroca, its playmaker and top scorer who reportedly opted to quit the team in the face of game-fixing allegations.

The FEU management has refused to confirm or deny reports that Barroca has indeed bolted the team and instead said it will issue a statement on the issue before the 3:30 p.m. encounter.

“We will make an official statement tomorrow (Saturday), let’s just wait for the announcement,” said Montinola on the eve of the match where the second-seeded Tams need only to win once to advance to the championship round.

But all indications pointed to one thing – the spitfirish guard will not suit up for the Tams in the Final Four.

“Considering that he hasn’t practiced for days, the logical conclusion is that he will not play,” a source told The STAR.

Barroca normed 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists until his performance dropped towards the end of the elims, fuelling game-fixing allegations. Without the star cager, the Tams hope to draw solid games from Aldrech Ramos, JR Cawaling, Paul Sanga and Ryan Garcia even as they vow to go all out for a victory over the third- seeded Warriors.

The STAR source even went to the extent of saying the chances of Barroca playing in the Final Four are close to nil.

“There is a 90-percent chance he (Barroca) will not play,” said the source. “But then again there’s a 10-percent chance he could. The issue might be a ploy.”

Montinola also neither confirmed nor denied reports quoting Ed Ponceja, Barroca’s agent, who said his ward had quit the team after he was allegedly accused by FEU coach Glenn Capacio of holding back part of his game late in the elimination round.

Ponceja was quoted in the papers a few days ago that Barroca allegedly did not want to play with Capacio anymore after he was accused of throwing games.

Barroca has denied all the allegations and stressed he’s clean.

The STAR tried to contact Ponceja but the player’s agent/manager did not return the call. Capacio, for his part, said he would speak at the right time.

“I can’t say anything right now, I hope you understand,” said Capacio.

Meanwhile, top seed defending champion Ateneo and No. 4 University of Santo Tomas clash tomorrow in their own side of the Final Four with the Eagles likewise needing just a win to advance.

The Tams finished the elimination round with an 11-3 (win-loss) record while the Warriors wound up with a 10-4 card.

The Warriors need to win twice to get into the finals and they hope to pounce on Barroca’s absence and realize a dream stint in the finals.

FEU actually had an opportunity to clinch the No. 1 spot but blew the chance when it squandered an 18-point lead late in the game and absorbed a 73-74 setback to Ateneo in the final game of the elimination.

In that match, Barroca scored all his eight points in the first quarter and went scoreless the rest of the way.

UE mentor Lawrence Chongson, however, said he believes Barroca will still play.

“Honestly, I don’t believe that FEU could resist not playing Barroca tomorrow (Saturday),” said Chongson. “We had prepared hard for an FEU team with Barroca. I will not allow their distractions to distract us.”

He added: “He (Barroca) will play. A UAAP championship is just too precious.”

FEU has a history of controversy dating back to the last three seasons.

Two years ago, FEU also sacked forward Alfred Gerilla for unknown reasons while the 2006 squad was revamped as it crashed out of the Final 4 a season after winning the crown.

Former mainstay Mac Baracael was shot by an unidentified gunman in the middle of last year’s season. Baracael, now with Smart Gilas Pilipinas, survived the incident and managed to return late in the tournament.