By Jerome Lagunzad
Powerhouse Ateneo plays host to dangerous National University today, with the Blue Eaglets out to complete a 14-game sweep of the elimination round and earn an outright Finals berth in the UAAP Season 80 juniors basketball tournament.
The Blue Eaglets are trying to duplicate feat achieved by a previous Ateneo team led by then league MVP Mike Nieto, his twin brother Matt and eventual Finals MVP Jolo Mendoza in 2015.
However, the Bullpups, who also did the trick back in 2016 under former mentor Jeff Napa, are capable enough of foiling the Blue Eaglets’ grand plans in their 3 p.m. showdown as they try to avenge a 64-49 loss in their initial meeting last Dec. 9.
“We expect a tough game tomorrow (today). For sure, NU will give it all they have. We expect them to give us a real good fight,” Ateneo coach Joe Silva said in a text message yesterday.
In other games, defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman takes on University of Santo Tomas at 1 p.m.
University of the East tangles with University of the Philippines Integrated School at 9 a.m. while Adamson tackles La Salle-Zobel at 11 a.m.
