AFTER pulling off a hard-earned 74-64 victory over National University last Tuesday, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin fired a warning to his charges– if they don’t respect their foes, they might pay a dear price.
Whether the Blue Eagles heed the call or fall into a sense of complacency anew will be known today when they clash with winless University of the East in the 84th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The match is set at 4 p.m. after University of Santo Tomas and NU try to rebound from losses when they collide at 1 o’clock. La Salle and University of the Philippines tangle to break their tie for second in the curtain-raiser at 10 in the morning. Far Eastern University takes on Adamson University at 7 p.m.
“NU’s a good basketball team coming into this game. I think we expected that but I’m not sure we respected that enough,” Baldwin said. “There is still a lot of work for us to do. I’m delighted that we got the win because NU made us fight every inch for that win.”
The likes of 6-foot-10 naturalized Filipino center Ange Kouame, Dave Ildefonso, Tyler Tio, SJ Belangel, Raffy Verano, and Gian Mamuyac are expected to spearhead Ateneo’s bid to stretch its win run to six and 32nd overall since 2018.
UE, coming off a 74-88 defeat to FEU also last Tuesday, will be without strategist Jack Santiago, who will serve the last of his two-game ban.
Assistant coach Jamike Jarin will call the shots for the hapless Warriors who will pin their hopes on Clint Escamis, Kyle Paranada, Harvey Pagsanjan, Aurin Catacutan, and Migs Pascual to snap their five-game losing skid.
The Fighting Maroons nipped the Soaring Falcons 73-71 two days ago.
UP tactician Goldwin Monteverde maintained his wards should improve their defense, especially against the formidable Green Archers.
“We really need to prepare especially sa mga tres nila. Again, we cannot go on Thursday with the same defense,” Monteverde said.
“We really need to work on it we have to be able to be ready for a team like La Salle.”
The Maroons will rely on Ricci Rivero, Zavier Lucero, Carl Tamayo, CJ Cansino, and Senegalese Maodo Malick Diouf.
La Salle, also sporting a 4-1 card like UP, trounced UST 75-66 last Tuesday.
Justine Baltazar, Kurt Lojera, Michael Philips, Emman Galman, and guards Evan Nelle and Mark Nonoy will be counted upon by the Archers.
