UAAP: National U eyes share of lead in showdown vs. Ateneo

MANILA — National University, coming off its biggest win of UAAP Season 89, takes on Ateneo de Manila University on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum as the Bulldogs continue their push for a second straight Final Four appearance in collegiate men’s basketball.

A victory over the Blue Eagles in the 2:30 p.m. matchup will give NU a share of the top spot. The Bulldogs, carrying a 6-2 record, are not far behind league-leading University of the Philippines (7-2).

Meanwhile, Adamson University and Far Eastern University, tied with Ateneo for fourth to sixth places at 4-4, look to bounce back from disappointing defeats and reignite their Final Four bids when they clash in the 5 p.m. game.

NU hopes to sustain its momentum, particularly on the defensive end, after routing Adamson, 79-43, last Saturday.

“We have to be consistent, especially Ateneo ‘yung kalaban namin on Wednesday,” NU coach Jeff Napa said. “We’ll try our best kasi especially sila ang tumalo sa amin sa first round. So we will do our best to compete again on Wednesday and hopefully, maging favorable for us.”

The Blue Eagles defeated the Bulldogs, 87-76, in the first round, with Kieffer Alas scoring 10 of his 18 points in the payoff period.

Ateneo, meanwhile, has been working doubly hard as it seeks to return to the Final Four after a two-year absence.

“I know we’re just one game behind sa mga upper bracket, but more than the wins, parang ‘di na kami marunong manalo from the last three games. I told them, ‘It’s not about the X-and-Os. It’s about the willingness to sacrifice,'” interim coach Louie Alas said.

“We need to bounce back. We need to have a back-to-back win for us to be in contention again because, as of now, we are still in the lower bracket of the standings,” he added.

The Blue Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak with a 75-72 victory over FEU last Saturday.

Adamson, for its part, hopes to make amends after suffering its worst defeat in 12 years, a 62-25 drubbing at the hands of NU on July 30, 2014.

After a promising 4-1 start, FEU has stumbled, dropping its last three games and suddenly finding itself fighting to keep its Final Four hopes alive.

Wednesday will also be a busy day in women’s basketball, with four games on tap, including rematches between defending champion University of Santo Tomas and UP at 10 a.m., and FEU and Adamson at 7:30 p.m.

Over the weekend, the Tigresses hurdled their biggest test of the season by defeating the Fighting Maroons, 75-66, to complete a 7-0 sweep of the first round. Meanwhile, the Lady Tamaraws edged the Lady Falcons, 50-48, on a game-winning basket by Victoria Pasilang.

NU seeks to solidify its hold on second place in the women’s standings when it faces Ateneo at noon, with the Blue Eagles hoping to give Kacey dela Rosa the best possible send-off by securing a Final Four berth.

In the other women’s matchup, De La Salle University takes on University of the East at 10 a.m., with both teams looking to jump-start their second-round campaigns with a victory.