by Waylon Galvez
Games Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
11 a.m. – UST vs Adamson (women’s)
3:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (men’s)
Another season, another dogfight for one of the UAAP Finals berths today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
For the fourth straight season, Ateneo and Far Eastern University collide for a chance to play in the Finals with the Tamaraws looking to alter the result this time and draw level in their head-to-head history in the Final Four.
Toughened up by a Jones Cup stint in Taiwan, Ateneo topped the elimination round with a 12-2 record to claim the No. 1 spot in the semifinals and a twice-to-beat advantage, while FEU clinched the last Final Four berth with a heart-stopping 71-70 win over De La Salle in their playoff for No. 4 last Wednesday.
Arvin Tolentino powered the Tamaraws to the semifinals when he buried a huge three-point basket with 3.1 seconds left that denied a dream Final Four match between archrivals Ateneo and La Salle.
That could be FEU’s destiny as the Tamaraws are aching to get back at the Eagles.
Over the last three seasons, the two schools clashed in the Final Four, first in 2015 as No. 2 FEU defeated No. 3 Ateneo, 76-74, in their semifinal duel – the same year the Tamaraws won their last UAAP title under coach Nash Racela in a 2-1 win over University of Santo Tomas in the best-of-three championship series.
The next two had Ateneo enjoying the twice-to-beat privilege, and won each time in do-or-die after FEU triumphed in the first game.
Last year as the fourth seeded team, FEU won 80-67, but the top seeded team Ateneo won in overtime, 88-84, in their sudden-death match.
FEU coach Olsen Racela, now on his third season with the school, hopes to add another chapter to their rivalry.
Though acknowledged as one of the finest products of Ateneo basketball program, Racela is looking confident that this season is his time to shine and redeem himself.
“We feel good about our chances,” said Racela, who won a title with the Blue Eagles in 1988. “We know it’s going to be tough because we’re facing a twice-to-beat team, and we are up against the best team in the league.”
“But we’re focused on this game. We had two good practice days to prepare for them. We’ll give our best shot to send it to a do-or-die,” added Racela.
The two teams split the elimination round with FEU winning in the first round 63-60, then Ateneo bounced back with an 84-62 win in the second round, a game where Tams’ Nigerian center Prince Orizu hurt his left ankle and Eagles’ center Angelo Kouame of Ivory Coast took advantage of it with a 33-point and 27-rebound performance.
Orizu has rejoined the team and Racela is hopeful he can throw Kouame out of his comfort zone.
The troika of Tolentino, Ken Tuffin and Barkley Eboña will be up against Isaac Go, Mike Nieto and Raffy Verano in what could be an interesting frontline battle.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” said Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Areapacochaga.
“FEU is a tough team. We have to execute well on offense because they are a good defensive team and on defense we have to defend their players well one-on-one. We have to win the rebounding battle as well,” he added.
The backcourt duel is equally challenging for both teams.
Ateneo will have last year’s Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena leading the charge with Matt Nieto, Tyler Tio, Anton Assistio and Gian Mamuyac providing additional firepower, while FEU will have Hubert Cani, Jasper Parker, Wendell Comboy and Anton Iñigo to rely on.
