GAMES TODAY
(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)
2 p.m. – La Salle vs FEU (Men)
4:30 p.m. – UST vs NU (Men)
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas first stunned defending champion University of the Philippines—and then waylaid powerhouse La Salle—in its first two games in the 88th UAAP basketball tournament.
A 3-0 start for the first time since 2015, when the Growling Tigers also last reached the Big Dance, is on their crosshairs—if and when they hurdle the National University Bulldogs.
“These guys are good. I don’t think we’ll have a hard time grounding them because I talk to them off the court and always ask what they can improve on,” UST assistant coach Peter Martin said. “We just have to stay grounded; we just have to stick to what we’re doing.”
Whether UST can get the job done will be known when it takes on NU today at its homecourt, the Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena.
Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. after the Green Archers go for a rebound against Far Eastern University in the curtain-raiser at 2 o’clock.
The likes of Forthsky Padrigao, Nic Cabañero, and Nigerian rookie center Collins Akowe will be counted upon anew by the Tigers.
For the Bulldogs, strategist Jeff Napa finally has a healthy roster after opening the season at 2-0. But he admits plenty of polishing remains before his wards can truly be considered Final Four contenders.
“Number one ay siyempre iyong consistency namin. Day in and day out, iyong approach namin, it should be all about effort,” he said.
“How we put iyong effort na ibinibigay namin and kung paano kami magiging consistent day in and day out.”
