MANILA, Philippines – There is no rest for the weary yet in the UAAP as the Season 84 men’s basketball tournament continues on through Holy Week with the start of the second round, and slowly but surely, the real contenders are starting to separate themselves from those who are just not ready yet to take the leap.
UP (6-1) vs NU (4-3)
Right off the bat, fans will get treated with a 10 am match between UP and NU, both teams with a lot to prove in the second round.
While the Maroons look to build on their 17-year-best six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs gun for a statement win after falling short of a massive Ateneo upset last week.
Look for Zavier Lucero to further stir up the MVP conversation alongside other key cogs like Maymay Cagulangan, Malick Diouf, and Ricci Rivero as NU leans on no-nonsense contributions from Michael Malonzo, John Lloyd Clemente, and Shaun Ildefonso.
FEU (3-4) vs Adamson (1-6)
Not far removed from the first Racela vs Racela match in the UAAP, Olsen’s FEU and Nash’s Adamson return for a more serious battle of survival this time around at 12:30 pm.
The Tamaraws have not found the winning groove they wanted, while the Falcons have been consistently inconsistent with at least four losses decided by three points or less.
Jerom Lastimosa will have to get his other ‘klasmeyts’ more involved, especially in endgame situations, as the second round rolls along, while the dynamic duo of RJ Abarrientos and LJay Gonzales continue to polish their playmaking and leadership skills.
UST (2-4) vs UE (0-7)
UST has crashed back to earth following a well-earned two-game winning streak, and is now looking for a sweep of winless UE at 4:30 pm.
Despite their losing records, both the Tigers and Red Warriors have at least identified their go-to guys, and now look to steal as many wins as possible to fast-track their development.
Viral blunders aside, Aurin Catacutan and Harvey Pagsanjan will continue to lead UE’s uphill battles, while Sherwin Concepcion, Joshua Fontanilla, and Nic Cabanero steer UST’s underdog campaign ahead.
Ateneo (7-0) vs La Salle (5-2)
The UAAP is not wasting any time as they plan to send its fans off to Holy Week break with the first fan-attended Ateneo-La Salle rivalry game in the pandemic at 7 pm.
Humiliated in their last meeting, the Archers now look to translate their league-best defense, led by veteran Justine Baltazar and hustle man Michael Phillips, into something better than a dead-last offense, steered by the inconsistent pairing of Evan Nelle and Mark Nonoy.
Meanwhile, it is business as usual over at the Eagles’ empire as Ange Kouame, Dave Ildefonso, and pretty much every other man in the rotation continue to take turns showing off the top-tier workings of a well-oiled Tab Baldwin system.
– Rappler.com
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