Defending champion University of the Philippines will try to secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final 4 when it takes on Katipunan rival Ateneo in a crucial UAAP Season 88 men's basketball showdown on Wednesday.
The Fighting Maroons are back in the semifinals for the seventh straight season, and a victory over the Blue Eagles at the Mall of Asia Arena will assure them of a win-once bonus.
UP has dominated the rivalry in recent years, having won five straight games against Ateneo -- including an 83-69 result in the first round last October 8 that ended the Blue Eagles' perfect start to the season.
Game time is at 4:30 p.m.
"Sa akin kasi, yung number of wins, kailangan natin 'yon just to get into the Final Four. But then, ang importante sa amin is yung every game na haharapin namin 'eh," said coach Goldwin Monteverde after UP defeated Adamson University, 70-65, last Sunday.
The Blue Eagles sit fifth with a 5-6 record, a game behind the Green Archers (6-5) in the race for the final Final Four berth. De La Salle will face Adamson in the 1:30 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Ateneo has lost six of its last seven games after a dream start with four consecutive wins.
The Falcons, at 5-7, are also fighting for their Final Four lives, trailing the Green Archers by one-and-a-half games for the No. 4 slot. Adamson, tied with idle Far Eastern University in sixth place, is on a three-game losing streak. Another loss for the Falcons will eliminate them from contention.
In the women's division, Ateneo seeks to secure its fourth consecutive Final Four berth against also-ran UP at 7 p.m., while De La Salle and Adamson clash at 11:30 a.m. in a match with major implications for the last playoff spot.
The Lady Archers though will not have scoring ace Kyla Go after she was assessed her second unsportsmanlike foul for the season during their game against Far Eastern University last Sunday.
In 16-and-under action, Adamson tries to inch closer to clinching the remaining Final Four berth against De La Salle-Zobel at 9:30 a.m., following already-eliminated squads Ateneo and UP Integrated School, who take the floor at 7:30 a.m.
