UAAP Final Four set to fire off

Games Saturday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

12 p.m. – AdU vs Ateneo (women's Stepladder QF)

3:30 p.m. – UP vs UST (men's Final Four)

6:30 p.m. – DLSU vs AdU (men's Final Four)

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning champion La Salle and host University of the Philippines eye a rematch by attempting to make short work of their separate rivals in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball Final Four Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Hostilities fire off at 6:30 p.m. for the main game between the Archers and challenger Adamson Falcons following the duel of the Maroons and the Santo Tomas Tigers at 3:30 p.m.

Third-ranked Adamson and fourth-seeded Ateneo, at 12 p.m., figure in the first phase of the women’s basketball stepladder playoffs for the right to face No. 2 seed and reigning champion University Santo Tomas. The survivor then gets to challenge former seven-peat champion and unbeaten National University in the finals. 

But the spotlight is on La Salle and UP, needing only one win to arrange a finale date for the second straight season. 

The Archers topped the elimination record with a 12-2 slate followed by the Maroons with an 11-3 record to gain twice-to-beat incentives against the fourth-ranked Falcons (6-8) and third-seeded Tigers (7-7), respectively. 

Both squads also swept their semifinal counterparts in the elimsm with La Salle scoring a 27.5-point winning margin against Adamson to loom as the undisputed favorite. 

For the Archers though, it’s now an entirely different arena and complacency would be the least of their mantra. 

“Being No. 1 is not a thing anymore. It only got us to the Final Four but it hasn't gotten us to the finals and eventually winning a championship,” said coach Topex Robinson as the Archers go up against the Falcons in high morale after a knockout win against the UE Warriors, 68-55, to get in. 

“There's still a lot of work to be done. We want to set our team to a high standard and then making sure that the things that we need to work on will be addressed.”

And it’s the same mindset for Goldwin Monteverde and the Maroons, who sport a pretty chance to barge into the finals for the fourth straight season. 

“This gets us ready kung ano man yung haharapin namin towards the end of the season,” Monteverde said. 

“We will always prepare for it in the best way that we could. Siyempre we always demand from ourselves giving all, kumbaga, at both ends.”

For the Tigers and the Falcons though, there’s no retreat and surrender as they vow to give their fancied foes a run for their own money to force a Game 2. 

“Sabi namin, the next game will be different. So hopefully we give them a challenge and hopefully beat them. We give ourselves a chance and I know our players will be ready to do their part,” promised Adamson mentor Nash Racela. 

“Kailangan pagtiyagaan lang. Parang David and Goliath iyan, medyo maganda yung labanan na ito. Basta kami, laban lang kami. We’re ready,” declared veteran coach Pido Jarencio as UST snapped a five-year semis drought.