Standings
La Salle 3-0
UP 3-0
Adamson 2-1
UST 2-1
NU 1-2
UE 1-2
FEU 0-3
Ateneo 0-3
By MARK REY MONTEJO
Games Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – NU vs UST
6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs Adamson
The Ateneo Blue Eagles are in a rare situation now given their status as the most dominant team spanning 15 years.
In that stretch, the Eagles stamped their class by winning 9 championships – including five straight starting the 2008 edition – and their last took place only two years ago.
Now, with the league entering its second week, the Eagles are languishing at the cellar after dropping their first three games, including against the UP Fighting Maroons exactly two weeks ago.
On Saturday, the Eagles try to prove that their time is far from over when they go for their first win against the Adamson Falcons.
Game time is set at 6:30 p.m. right after the 4:30 p.m. clash between University of Santo Tomas and National University.
The Eagles may have the manpower advantage –not to mention their formidable frontliners – but the Falcons will go into the game riding the momentum of an inspiring 69-56 win over erstwhile undefeated the Tigers.
In that win, Adamson coach Nash Racela credited the team’s concerted effort on defense for slowing down UST’s vaunted offense.
Racela intends to further beef up their defensive fans in their bid to improve their 2-1 record – the same mark of the Tigers.
“So, every game is different. That’s what we preach to them and the defense that you’re facing will be different, moving forward, it’s gonna be different when you play the next game,” said Racela.
“That’s the tendency of people. They think they’re good and then all of a sudden, the next game, you face a tough team and that’s hard.”
That was the lesson he learned after a crushing 82-52 defeat to defending champion La Salle on Sept. 11 – three days after outplaying Far Eastern University, 59-47.
