Maroons face test in battle with Bulldogs
University of the Philippines tries to stay unbeaten when it battles dangerous National University, even as Far Eastern and University of the East—the only remaining winless teams in Season 89 elimination of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament—battle to get out of the rut at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Fighting Maroons and the Bulldogs are basically playing this season with new cores that have so far held up after a week of action, with National out to put a stop to UP’s two-game run when they clash at 6 p.m.
“We try to improve on every game we play,” UP coach Goldwin Monteverde said before the league took a break for the Asian Games. “We will never stop trying to improve and make the team better.”
Meanwhile, the Tamaraws will come into the resumption of action having played just one game thus far, and they are listed as the slight picks over the Red Warriors in their 2:30 p.m. battle.
UE has lost its first two games by an average of 23.5 points, sparking talks of a coaching change that even made mention of legendary Red Warrior Allan Caidic.
The Warriors will also be encountering a slightly weaker Tamaraws squad, which will be missing Cabs Cabonillas, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds in a 56-53 loss to Adamson. Cabonillas played for the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3×3 squad in the Asian Games in Japan.
Adamson shoots for a second straight win when it battles Ateneo in the 12 p.m. game.
And though his Falcons are coming off a strong debut with that shaving of the Tamaraws, coach Nash Racela was quick to temper expectations moving forward.
“To be honest, we have a mountain to climb,” he said of his chances of going deep this season. “From seventh (last season), we really have a tall mountain to climb. But we will do our part.”
