Ateneo, NU seek title duel

Games Today (The Arena, San Juan) 1 p.m. – EAC vs NU 3 p.m. – NCBA vs Ateneo

Ateneo and National University try to arrange a championship showdown as they go for a sweep of their respective best-of-three semis series today in the Spikers’ Turf Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

The top-seeded Eagles collide with the fourth-ranked National College of Business and Arts (NCBA) Wildcats at 3 p.m., while the Bulldogs clash with the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals at 1 p.m.

Both Ateneo and NU are determined to follow up their Game 1 wins with the Eagles scoring a straight-set 25-9, 25-22, 25-19 victory while the Bulldogs pulling off a 25-23, 26-28, 25-18, 26-28, 1511 thriller.

Led by back-to-back UAAP MVP Marck Espejo and Rex Intal, Ateneo is once again expected to display the full might of their firepower as they hope to march into the finals unbeaten after sweeping both the elims and quarters.

Out to provide solid support for Espejo and Intal are Joshua Villanueva and Ysay Marasigan.

NU, on its part, will continue motivation when they face the Archers.

“Now the players know and believe that they can win, that they are winners,” said the rookie coach.

Gelo Vito starred in UP’s win, draining three straight treys in the payoff period to make the season opener for the hosts more significant. to rely on the deadly quartet of Fauzi Ismail, Bryan Bagunas, Madzlan Gampong and Kim Malabunga but they also have to play solid defensively to prevent EAC’s Howard Mojica – the reigning MVP – from wreaking havoc.

The league’s leading scorer exploded for 35 points in Game 1.