After another thrilling weekend filled with neck-and-neck finishes, the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament rolls along with its second quadruple-header playdate on Wednesday, October 12, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Ateneo (2-1) vs UST (1-2)
At 11 am, the Ateneo Blue Eagles look to rebound from their bitter loss to their archrival La Salle Green Archers, while the UST Growling Tigers try to snap out of a two-game losing skid.
Look for Ateneo starters Dave Ildefonso and Forthsky Padrigao, who combined for an awful 5-of-32 clip from the field in their 83-78 loss to La Salle, to bounce back big and help reigning UAAP MVP Ange Kouame carry the team’s scoring cudgels.
Meanwhile, count on high-scoring forward Nic Cabañero and big man Adama Faye to show the way for UST anew after their double-double outings against the NU Bulldogs went for naught last weekend.
UP (3-0) vs NU (2-1)
The undefeated UP Fighting Maroons shoot for their fourth straight win as they face off with the NU Bulldogs in the second game at 1 pm.
Expect another well-balanced attack from the powerhouse Fighting Maroons in this showdown as four players scored in double-figures in their previous victory over the FEU Tamaraws, with point guard Terrence Fortea once again stepping up big-time in the absence of JD Cagulangan with a team-high 17 points.
On the other side, watch out for rookie Kean Baclaan and veteran swingman John Lloyd Clemente to deliver the goods for the Bulldogs once more as they try to pull off an upset over the defending champions.
La Salle (2-1) vs UE (1-2)
At 4:30 pm, the La Salle Green Archers try to ride on their winning momentum as they take on the UE Red Warriors.
Coming off their first win over the Blue Eagles in five years, look for the red-hot Green Archers to continue their stellar play, led by super scorer Schonny Winston, who is currently averaging a league-best 23.6 points per game.
For the Red Warriors, sophomore sniper Kyle Paranada will need to come up with a much-better showing after being held to just 8 points on 1-of-8 shooting in their 74-61 loss to the Adamson Soaring Falcons.
FEU (0-3) vs Adamson (1-2)
Finally, the FEU Tamaraws look to crack the win column as they go up against the Adamson Soaring Falcons at 6:30 pm.
The Tamaraws will need Ximone Sandagon, who finished with 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting against the Fighting Maroons, to translate his perfect outing into a much-needed victory, while also getting contributions from Patrick Sleat and LJay Gonzales, among others.
On the other hand, expect the Soaring Falcons to once again bank on their deadly backcourt duo of Joem Sabandal and Jerom Lastimosa as they try to start a winning streak in Season 85.
