Expect all eyes to be on Mason Amos as he plays his first Ateneo-La Salle rivalry game since joining the Green Archers last year.
Amos, who played his rookie season with the Blue Eagles, braces for loud jeers from Ateneo fans in his first taste of the rivalry clash as a Green Archer in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament on Sunday, October 5.
“I will just block out the noise. (It’s) easier said than done, but I’ve done it before. So, I’ll do it again,” Amos said following La Salle’s 74-72 win against the FEU Tamaraws on Wednesday, October 1.
“Just being able to play in a rivalry is always exciting, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“I know it is going to be an eventful one, but again, I look at it as another game,” La Salle’s sharpshooting forward added. “The rivalry is still going to be the rivalry, so I still take that into account.”
Amos had a controversial departure, leaving Ateneo in July 2024, while playing for the Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He then transferred to La Salle mere days later.
According to Amos, La Salle has been a haven for him, protecting him from any external noise ahead of their Sunday rivalry game at 4:30 pm at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“They are just telling me to be true to myself and not be afraid,” he said. “You know, just getting over that hump that I used to have at the start, which was being mentally tough. It wasn’t easy. I can say it wasn’t easy, but I moved past it.”
In his first three UAAP games with the Green Archers, Amos averaged 9.67 points and 3.67 rebounds per game while shooting 42.86% from the three-point line.
Against FEU, the 21-year-old Fil-Aussie had his best game with La Salle so far, putting up 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Since his transfer, Amos has already received boos from Ateneo fans while on the sidelines during Season 87, the year he served his residency with La Salle.
Amos first played against Ateneo in an Asiabasket game in March at his old stomping grounds, the Blue Eagle Gym.
There, Amos got a glimpse of the Ateneo crowd’s jeering months before his Season 88 debut.
“Actually, I’m excited to play against all of them. You know, it’s a competition for a reason, and I’m just glad to see them on the court,” Amos said of his former squad. “I’m happy for them, too.”
After finishing dead last in Season 87, Ateneo has risen to the top of the standings with a 3-0 start. Meanwhile, La Salle stands at 2-1, with its lone loss coming against the UST Growling Tigers.
Knowing Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin, Amos also anticipates the Blue Eagles’ game plan against him.
“I know that he got something planned, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has something well-planned for us on Sunday,” he said.
“So, it’s just us countering what he has planned. You’ve got to give credit where it’s due. He is a good coach. I’m not taking that away from him.”
The Green Archers have won the last three of their rivalry games against Ateneo.
This season also brings fresh faces to the showdown, with Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan steering La Salle’s backcourt, while Ateneo’s one-and-done trio of Kymani Ladi, Jaden Lazo, and Dominic Escobar gear up for their first clash.
