TOP meets bottom as unbeaten reigning champion Ateneo battles winless University of the East (UE) at the resumption on Thursday of the Season 84 University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Blue Eagles are coming off a 74-64 victory over the National University (NU) Bulldogs on Tuesday night—their sixth straight win—when they face the Red Warriors (0-6) in the 4 p.m. game.
De La Salle University (5-1) guns for its fifth win in six games against University of the Philippines (4-1) at 10 a.m., while University of Santo Tomas (2-3) battles NU (2-3) at 1 p.m.
Coach Nash Racela faces his former team Far Eastern University (2-3) as he tries to steer Adamson University to a second victory in five games in the 7 p.m. game.
Dave Ildefonso had 14 points against NU and is again expected to lead Ateneo’s campaign alongside naturalized center Ange Kouame—who had 12 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks in the same Bulldogs match—against hapless UE.
Assistant coach Jamike Jarin will again call the shots for UE in lieu of Jack Santiago, who’s serving a two-game suspension for ordering the Red Warriors to inflict harm during their losing cause against the Fighting Maroons over the weekend.
“Like what our coaches always say, we have to compete and give our best every possession,” Jarin told BusinessMirror. “There are a lot of things to cover when you’re facing the best college team in the country right now with the best coach, so let’s see.”
“It doesn’t matter what the outcome would be for as long as you give it your best,” he added.