In the end, breaks of the game will do it

League rules say the Top 2 teams after 14 games get to snare a win-only-once bonus over the tournament’s Nos. 4 and 3, respectively, to advance to the Finals.

Statistics-wise, University of the Philippines is pretty much ahead of Adamson University.

Thus, when they clash at 3:30 p.m. today at MOA Arena, the wise-money bet is on the Fighting Maroons.

But how many times in the past that stats aren’t always accurate? Meaning, in most times at that, they can’t truly reflect the outcome of a contest?

At best, they can only be used as a coach’s guide to back up his strategy and tactics designed for a particular game.

And so it is that today’s UP-Adamson encounter will remain that: A toss up.

No one has the clear edge over the other and, as happens usually in a league like the UAAP basketball tournament where practically half of the eight-team roster are evenly matched, the breaks of the game can sometimes decide the outcome of the game.

UP is the more disadvantaged of the two as the Maroons have their backs actually against the wall.

This is because they face today a must-win situation as the Soaring Falcons earned the coveted twice-to-beat margin after placing second in the two-round elimination series.

League rules say the Top 2 teams after 14 games get to snare a win-only-once bonus over the tournament’s Nos. 4 and 3, respectively, to advance to the Finals.

UP placed third to draw second-running Adamson in the first phase of the Final Four showdown.

For placing first, Ateneo gets the chance to enter the Finals outright by beating Far Eastern University tomorrow.

Like UP, FEU must complete the tough task of downing reigning champion Ateneo twice to get to the Finals.

But the spotlight is more on UP than any school for that matter, the Maroons having finally barged into the Final 4 after a 21-year absence.

Will the UP party—bonfire— continue after today’s Game 1?

My sister-in-law, the beauteous Ofelia Juvida-Magturo of Calauag, Quezon, is looking for her “missing best friends” Natividad Garado and Elsa Melegrito. Please text/call 09176312057 if you have news of their whereabouts? With God’s grace, Ofelia arrives in Manila on Dec. 2 from her base in Los Angeles, CA. Thank you.