Eagles take 40-min flight to history

MANILA, Philippines - What literally started as a flight of fancy four years ago comes to within four quarters of a dream finish as the Ateneo Blue Eagles shoot for a rare four-peat against the Far Eastern U Tams to cap a sterling UAAP season.

The Blue Eagles, who started their dynastic reign in 2008 for the first of their three victories, go for the clincher in Game 2 of the typhoon-delayed finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, looking to match the longest championship streak in the Final Four era owned by University of Santo Tomas (1993-96) and La Salle (1998-2001).

“We’re able to look at the film and correct some of the mistakes we made in Game 1. We expect to play better today,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, whose crew initially had difficulty against FEU’s pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop patterns before making adjustments in the second half en route to an 82-64 rout in the opener of their best-of-three series.

The protagonists go into the 3:30 p.m. game with fresher legs and more fine-tuned game plans following an extra four-day break resulting from the postponement of the second game last Tuesday due to “Pedring’s” wrath.

“Both teams got the same amount of time to rest and prepare. It’s just going to be harder for us to get Game 2 but we won’t give Game 2 to them, either,” said Ateneo rookie sensation Kiefer Ravena.

The Tams are expected to go all out to spoil the Eagles’ projected coronation day today and reported plans for a bonfire (victory celebration) tomorrow.

“We’re still positive. If we can get one this Saturday, it will be a good fight to the finish,” said FEU coach Bert Flores, hopeful that his wards will rise to the challenge. “This (finals) is what we’ve been preparing since summer. We’re already in this, we should make the most out of it.”

Graduating man Aldrech Ramos expressed the Tamaraws’ fighting mood.

“There’s no such thing as no chance; nothing is impossible...bounce back Tamaraws,” Ramos posted on his Twitter account.

Meanwhile, the season’s top individual players get their deserved spotlight as the UAAP holds its awarding ceremonies at 1:30 p.m.

National U’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr. will be honored as MVP in the men’s division, leading Ateneo’s Gregory William Slaughter, Adamson’s Alexander Nuyles, Ramos, and Rookie of the Year Ravena in the Mythical 5.

FEU’s Raiza Rose Palmera and Jerie Marlon Pingoy will be bestowed the top individual plums in the women’s and juniors divisions, respectively.

Palmera will tow teammate Allana Lim, La Salle’s Aracelie Abaca, Adamson’s Anna Regina Buendia, and NU’s Kristina Joi Tolentino in the women’s Mythical 5.

Pingoy will be joined by Ateneo’s Kristoffer James Porter, NU’s Raphael Atangan, and La Salle-Zobel’s Alexander Torres and Gabriel Reyes in the juniors’ First 5.