Third straight Final 4 not enough for hungry Falcons

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 2 p.m. – AdU vs UE 4 p.m. – UST vs UP

Hungry Adamson won’t stop at simply being in its third straight Final Four appearance – a University record – for the Falcons want a higher prize: Top 2 seeding and twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball semis.

“We’re almost there and we’re aiming for that incentive,” said Falcons coach Franz Pumaren, whose wards (9-3) can clinch at least a playoff for semis bonus with another victory today against also-ran University of the East (1-11) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I’ll be a hypocrite if I’ll tell you we’re happy with entering the Final Four, we want to get that particular incentive,” he insisted.

The multi-titled mentor cautioned his highflying charges against letting their guard down against the lurking Warriors in the 2 p.m. setto.

“Sometimes it’s scary to play a team that’s already eliminated. Nothing against UE but playing against a team with no pressure already is not a sure win. Remember they’re able to beat FEU, which later beat us and Ateneo. So there’s still no sure shot. We won’t be complacent, that’s what’s important,” Pumaren said.

University of the Philippines (6-6), meanwhile, looks to get better position in the jockeying for the F4 as it faces Santo Tomas (5-7) at 4 p.m.

Tipped as a semis contender in the preseason, the Maroons brace for a rough road in the final stretch of the elims.

“I told them we trained for a year not really for the first few games of the elims but for those games which are going to count. We have put ourselves in this situation, we got to be ready for this and we are ready for this,” said UP’s Bo Perasol. “First, we have to prepare really well for UST, that’s a very dangerous team, we have to be at our best when we go up against them.”

The rebuilding Tigers, according to coach Aldin Ayo, are aiming to gain experience and learning, more than anything else.