THE elimination round of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament enters its crucial stage today with University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University going for vital wins that will boost their semis bids at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The UP Maroons aim to improve their second-best 7-4 mark in their 10:30 a.m. confrontation with the also-ran National University Bulldogs, while the third-ranked Tigers (7-5) collide the La Salle Archers (5-6) at 4 p.m. in a match likely to be as tense and emotional as their first round game.
The Tamaraws, holders of the fourth-best 6-6 record, go up against the Adamson Falcons (4-7) at 12:30 p.m. with the latter can’t afford to drop a game.
Save for NU and University of the East, all teams are still in the running for the three remaining semis berths.
Three-peat seeking Ateneo is on course for a grand sweep, having a 12-0 record.
Eyes will be on last year’s finalist UP, which is coming off an 81-77 come-from-behind triumph over Adamson.
Apart from go-to guys Kobe Paras and Bright Akhuetie, UP coach Bo Perasol will rely on Jun Manzo following the latter’s clutch plays against the Falcons.
“Napakaganda ng ipinakita niya, not just with his scoring but his leadership inside,” Perasol said of Manzo, who spearheaded a 16-2 run to grab the critical 76-74 lead in the last two minutes that turned things around for the Maroons.
NU, for its part, wants to keep its head up in the remaining matches to end the season on a bright note. The Bulldogs are languishing at the cellar with a 2-9 mark.
Meanwhile, the league suspended University of the East Nick Abanto after basketball commissioner Jensen Ilagan upgraded his non-call act to an unsportsmanlike foul in their game against Ateneo last Sunday.
With 6:33 mark in the first quarter, Abanto swung his right forearm and hit Ateneo’s Will Navarro on the head while jostling for position on a rebound play. (Kristel Satumbaga)
