Archers, Tams clash for seat in UAAP finals

MANILA, Philippines -  Defending champion La Salle and Far Eastern U will relive their post-season rivalry from last year as they mix it up in another virtual best-of-three dispute for a finals seat in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament.

The Green Archers and the Tamaraws got entangled in a tie for second spot on a 10-4 slate after contrasting fates in Saturday’s double-header and will have to face off in a playoff this weekend to determine who will get the No. 2 and its corresponding twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. Afterwards, they play the semis proper.

This duplicates their arrangement in the Season 76 semis, where the Archers prevailed in both the KO match 74-69, and the actual semis encounter 71-68 to  advance and eventually go all the way to the crown.

“It’s something that we wanted to avoid sana, especially with our experience last year, hindi maganda being in a best-of-three against a big school, a perceived finalist, di ba? Mahirap pag andyan ka sa ganyang sitwasyon, you go up against a lot of things and wala na kaming magagawa dyan (We fell short in our best of three against a big team, a perceived finalist like La Salle last year and we wouldn’t have wanted to be in the same difficult situation),” said FEU coach Nash Racela.

The Tams found themselves in a rubbermatch for second after squandering a 19-point lead and losing to Ateneo in overtime, 64-68.

“I think that game was an experience. We just have to focus on things we can control, like shooting freethrows,” said Racela, adding: “The good thing about our situation is even after that bad loss, we’re still in good position to still make it to the finals.”

DLSU coach Juno Sauler is wary of the Tams’ speed, their rivals’ main weapon in beating them in the elims, 77-82 and 70-74.

“We just have to match the intensity of FEU, they’re a very fast-paced team and I think in the first two games we played them, we got beaten in transition so that’s something we have to take care of,” said Sauler.

Though two major sources of defensive headache – RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo – are no longer with the Tams, the Morayta-based cagers are still as potent.

“It’s the same style of play; just different players but they play the same way. No RR, no Romeo but they still got (Mike) Tolomia and (Mac) Belo, we have to defend against them. And almost all the guys that coach Nash play, almost everyone contribute,” said the DLSU mentor.

Racela said they would need more of mental preparations.

“Importante sa ngayon (What’s more important) is our preparation mentally. Mahirap kasi galing sa ganong talo (it’s hard especially coming off such a loss – a freethrow away (from No. 1) yet you gave it away,” said the FEU mentor, who rued their 19 missed charities, especially in the last 2.8 seconds of regulation by Tolomia that could have nailed it for the Tams. “We’ll work on that, re-focus and prepare.”

Racela challenged his wards to rise above adversity.

“My last message to team (after the loss to AdMU) was we prepared to succeed, be ready for it and actually have to want it and get it. I told them, ako gusto ko talaga (I badly want it) after our experience last year. I want to be in the finals of the UAAP now and I hope they will share in my desire. I think they got the message,” he said.

DLSU’s Arnold van Opstal can’t wait to take on FEU.

“I’m loving it,” van Opstal said after the Archers’ 68-56 win over National U. “We’re really confident going to this game right now. I’m already focusing on it, forgetting about the NU game.”

While DLSU and FEU are on it, Ateneo is perched on top, armed with a win-once bonus and waiting for their opponent in the semis. The Bulldogs (9-5) are at fourth and might go through a playoff for No. 4 if fifth-running University of the East (8-5) hurdles Santo Tomas on Tuesday.