UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas shoots for its first Final Four appearance in five years against an Adamson University side trying to keep its slim hopes alive in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament today (Saturday) at The Arena in San Juan.
The Growling Tigers are not only going all-out for the win in the 6:30 p.m. clash with the Falcons but also to sew up the No. 3 ranking in the Final Four.
UST holds the tiebreaker against skidding University of the East by sweeping their elimination round head-to-head including last week’s 76-67 victory.
“Basta yung team namin naka-focus. Alam naman nilang mangyayari yan kasi this is the seconnd round. Magiiba ang laro, magiiba ang tema,” said Growling Tigers head coach Pido Jarencio.
“Lahat gustong umakyat, gustong pumasok sa Final Four. Basta sabi ko sa kanila, tumanggap lang tayo ng tumanggap. Ang importante, we play fair. Wala tayong masasaktan. We’re going to play physical but not rough.”
The Growling Tigers are now tied with the Red Warriors at 6-7.
If UST secures the No. 3 spot, it will take on twice-to-beat University of the Philippines in the Final Four.
Defending champion De La Salle, which topped the eliminations with a 12-2 record, will face the No. 4 team, needing only to win once to advance to the best-of-three Finals.
Adamson, on the other hand, holds a 5-7 record as a loss will not yet mean elimination, as it will now catch up UE to seek a playoff for the last Final Four slot.
“Important lang is buhay pa kami,” Soaring Falcons head coach Nash Racela said after their recent win.
“That’s something we’ve been telling the players. We always talk about the alignment of the stars. But if we don’t do our part, it will not happen. That’s the challenge we gave them.”
The San Marcelino-based squad will play Ateneo on Nov. 23 in a make-up for the postponed Oct. 23 contest due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, while UE will finally UP on Nov. 20 after their first two scheduled duels were called off due to different circumstances.
With a 5-8 record, the Tamaraws, who are 4-2 in the second round, are only hoping for the best as they need to hurdle the Fighting Maroons at 2 p.m. and things go their way, meaning either the Growling Tigers or the Red Warriors won’t reach seven wins to force a playoff for No. 4.
