MANILA, Philippines – When the second round of the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament resumes on Tuesday, April 19, this will represent the longest break between games.
Of course, the break is due to the celebration of Holy Week.
When the games get underway at the Mall of Asia Arena, it’s FEU-UP at 10 a.m., DLSU-UST at 12:30 p.m., UE-Ateneo at 4:30 p.m. and NU-Adamson at 7 p.m.
If you go by first round results as well as the “favorites”, UP, La Salle, Ateneo and NU should turn up winners.
The six-day break afforded teams time to rest and recuperate, practice and perfect strategies against their next opponents.
FEU-UP
When FEU played UP last April 9, they lost a close one, 83-76. The Tamaraws played well in the first and fourth periods but it was in the third canto where they lost steam.
Zav Lucero was incandescent in that game for UP as he top-scored with 27 points and grabbed 12 boards.
The Fighting Maroons stymied RJ Abarrientos in that match as the surprise Tamaraws scoring leader was held to eight points, four rebounds and two assists in almost 30 minutes of play.
If FEU wants to pull an upset, they will not just need Abarrientos to play well but to get a capable back-up to Emmanuel Ojuola inside. James Tempra and Daniel Celzo need to help inside and stop Lucero, Carl Tamayo and Maodo Diouf.
There’s a good opportunity for an upset here but FEU needs to play a near-perfect game.
DLSU-UST
The Green Archers won the first round meeting, 75-66. UST had their chances as they played better in the second half. But they will not win even if Joshua Fontanilla scores 40 points.
They want to beat DLSU they will need to get Sherwin Concepcion untracked. Ditto with Dave Ando and Miguel Pangilinan.
The Growling Tigers will have to contend against a resurgent Evan Nelle and Kurt Lojera, who is playing his best year of UAAP ball. And expect Mark Nonoy to have a better game this time around (though I am still thinking he hasn’t fully adjusted to the team’s system).
If UST can keep it close, they have a chance. La Salle still has the edge.
UE-Ateneo
This was a close match for the first 25 minutes then the Red Warriors got run off the court by Ateneo, 94-72.
Of great interest here is how Ateneo guards the perimeter and if they actually go inside more. The Blue Eagles have Angelo Kouame and no one on UE can guard him. Yes, yes. The system.
I am not worried about UE’s attitude coming into the game. I would like to see how Ateneo treats this game. They know they cannot take this team lightly. IF UE continues to consistently bombard from the outside all the way into the final period and if Ateneo’s guns stay silent, they will have a chance to steal it.
If the Blue Eagles choose to roll from the start and maintain this past the start of the second half, it will be all over.
NU-Adamson
They played on opening day, and it was a nail-biter with the Bulldogs escaping with a 71-69 win. Of course, NU has become better since then while Adamson has had a roller-coaster ride.
If the Soaring Falcons can get Lenda Douanga to play really solid inside and if the locals chip in consistently, they have a chance. And this could actually happen. Their homegrown players just lack the experience of the Bulldogs.