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Defending UAAP men’s basketball champion La Salle seeks a 3-0 start to its Season 87 title retention campaign, while Ateneo looks to light a fire in its 0-2 winless slide at the expense of its historic rival
MANILA, Philippines – A time-honored tradition is set to cap off the first week of UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball action as the defending champion La Salle Green Archers stake their undefeated start against the winless, but ever-dangerous Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, September 15.
Still led by Kevin Quiambao, the undisputed best Filipino collegiate player today, the Archers are locked in to win after a stunning 78-75 escape of the gritty NU Bulldogs, followed by a 30-point beatdown of the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 82-52.
Also stepping up as valuable partners in the two-game win streak are La Salle sniper Doi Dungo, big man Henry Agunanne, and super-scrappy forward Michael Phillips.
Ateneo, meanwhile, no longer has the luxury of stacked talent nor experience as rookie Jared Bahay continues to carry heavy burdens amid a 0-2 start, the first such skid in the Tab Baldwin coaching era.
Two-way forward Joshua Lazaro and burly guard Shawn Tuano, however, have emerged as much-needed silver linings for the Blue Eagles, who have since lost co-captain Chris Koon to a serious-looking left ankle injury.
Beyond those three standouts, question marks remain on who else can step up as co-captain Sean Quitevis, foreign student-athlete Ayodeji Balogun, rookie Kristian Porter, and sophomores Ian Espinosa and Andrew Bongo have all yet to string convincing performances in Ateneo’s two losses.
On paper, La Salle is expected to convincingly win against its old rival come Sunday, but papers and theories don’t win games. Staring at a 0-3 hole, Ateneo is anxious to break into the new season’s win column, and what better way to do it than quickly ending the champion’s hot start?
Can Ateneo defy the odds as only Ateneo can, or will mighty La Salle simply prove the easy predictions right? Tip off is at 6:30 pm, following the 3:30 pm UST-Adamson showdown. – Rappler.com
