By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(The Arena, San Juan City)
9 a.m. – NU vs FEU
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs UST
1 p.m. – UE vs DLSZ
3 p.m. – UPIS vs Adamson
Streaking Ateneo aims to sustain its streak while University of Santo Tomas goes for a payback as they square off today in the resumption of the UAAP Season 80 juniors basketball action at The Arena in San Juan City.
After sweeping the first round, the Blue Eaglets are hoping to pick up from where they left off following a near month-long break as they try to sustain their dominance over the dangerous Tiger Cubs in their 11 a.m. showdown.
Ateneo, with towering center Kai Sotto frolicking down low with 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks, handily beat UST 94-63 last Dec. 3. But that won’t be enough for Blue Eaglets coach Joe Silva to take the Tiger Cubs lightly.
“UST is a strong team and they will come to play for sure,” he told Tempo-Bulletin in an SMS message on the ever of their keenly awaited rematch. “We have to match, or even surpass their intensity, effort and energy.”
Raising the curtains in the blockbuster quadruple-header are powerhouse National University and defending champion Far Eastern University, which will collide at 9 a.m.
The Bullpups, who slipped into a tie with University of Santo Tomas at second spot after their first-round victory over University of the East was forfeited for fielding an ineligible player, should be motivated to repeat an 80-68 win over the Baby Tamaraws.
Meanwhile, UE is hoping to score its first victory—inside the basketball court—when it takes on fellow struggler La Salle-Zobel at 1 p.m. while Adamson intends to boost its Final Four drive against University of the Philippines-Integrated School at 3 p.m.
The Blue Eaglets, however, should hog much of the spotlight since they’ve been playing head and shoulders above the rest, putting them right on track of claiming the coveted title which they last hoisted in 2015.