Archers try to repeat over Eagles

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle tries to make it two in a row against arch rival Ateneo as they slug it out again on Sunday in the second installment of their annual “Dream Game” exhibition match at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Archers trounced the Eagles, 117-104, in the inaugural staging of the “Blue vs Green” showdown last year at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in a match that featured former Archers and Eagles now playing in the PBA.

Leaving nothing to chance, the Taft-based school is bringing back the same roster, led by veteran Don Allado, who led the Archers with 23 points and took over down the stretch to thwart the Eagles’ fourth quarter fightback.

Allado is teaming up again with JV Casio, MacMac Cardona, Mike Cortez, Joseph Yeo, RenRen Ritualo, Ryan Arana, Rico Maierhofer, Carlo Sharma, TY Tang, and Willy Wilson, with rookie Simon Atkins as the lone addition to the group.

Also back for another tour of duty for La Salle is coach Franz Pumaren, who steered the school to four straight UAAP men’s basketball titles from 1998 to 2001.

In contrast, Ateneo will be without three key players from last year’s lineup as LA Tenorio, Larry Fonacier, and Japeth Aguilar are currently with the Gilas Pilipinas team bound for a two-week training camp in Lithuania as part of its preparation for the FIBA-Asia men’s championship in August.

In their absence, rookie guards Chris Tiu and Eman Monfort will try to fill in the void and join regulars JC Intal, Enrico Villanueva, Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Noy Baclao, Wesley Gonzales, Rich Alvarez, Doug Kramer, Paolo Bugia, Eric Salamat, and Magnum Membrere.

Taking over the coaching reins for the Eagles in lieu of Norman Black is his long-time deputy Sandy Arespacochaga, who vowed to give the Archers one big fight despite the absence of Tenorio, Fonacier, and Aguilar, who combined for 50 points in last year’s losing effort.

Following La Salle’s win last season, the two teams are now 1-1 in their exhibition matches in the last eight years.

The Eagles won their 2005 showdown at the Big Dome, 88-85, behind the game-winning three-pointer of Villanueva.

In another charity game in 2008, the two schools tied at 90 after Cortez sank the game-tying free throws in the final 19 seconds. Gonzales had a chance for the game-winning shot but his long jumper with two seconds left missed its mark.