Twice-to-beat Tams eager to finish off Blue Eagles today
After practically going through the motions in a non-bearing eliminations assignment Wednesday, second-ranked Far Eastern U switches back to full “beast mode” as it guns for a return trip to the finals in today’s UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball Final Four against No. 3 Ateneo.
The Tams, who gave key players like Mac Belo and Mike Tolomia much breather in their 71-68 victory over La Salle three days ago to prepare them for this crucial match, seek to cash in on their win-once semis edge against the redemption-seeking Blue Eagles to reach the championship for the second straight year.
“Saturday is a knockout game – that’s going to be our approach. One game, that’s all that matters to us,” said FEU coach Nash Racela ahead of their 3:30 p.m. duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Considered as a heavy favorite at the start of the season, the Tams dominated the Eagles in their two meetings in the preliminaries, 88-64 and 66-61, and finished at 11-3. But Racela insisted the head-tohead results don’t necessarily mean it’s going to be an easy outing for his wards.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s always that way. Elimination games are much different from the playoffs,” he said.
Ateneo mentor Bo Perasol expressed confidence Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal and the rest of the Eagles can go toe-to-toe with the Tams.
“Although we lost to them twice, I think we can match up well with them. But it’s not going to be easy. We need to take Game One, that’s the most important thing,” he said.
The Eagles look to overcome FEU’s twice-to-beat advantage as a way to redeem themselves from their shock exit in this phase last season. Back then, the Ateneans took the No. 1 position but suffered a two-game mishap to No. 4 National U, which eventually won the crown over FEU.
“One thing going for us is we know how it feels like to have a twice-to-beat advantage and, at the same time, what our opponent last year did to us,” said Ravena.
“But this is a different team. We need to find ways to overcome such adversity.
Basta ang mindset namin, naniniwala kami na kaya namin silang talunin at nagtitiwala kami sa isa’t isa. Hindi dapat mawala sa amin ‘yan (Our mindset should be set on believing we can beat FEU and trusting in one another),” he added.
The Tams themselves brace for a tough outing against the Eagles.
“Ateneo is a tough team; they have improved a lot game to game. They’re a very different team now so we have to be ready,” said Racela, who used Belo, Tolomia and Pogoy for less than 20 minutes each in the preceding La Salle game to keep them fresh for the semis.
“Alam naman natin na Ateneo, tough team yan so kailangang paghandaan at ito naman talaga ginagawa namin (We know how tough Ateneo is so we’re preparing hard for them),” said Belo.