It’s live or bust for Black’s Blue Eagles

Philippine Star
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Ateneo really has no other choice but to beat La Salle tomorrow.

“We better beat them or our season is over” said Ateneo coach Norman Black who graced yesterday’s PSA Forum and talked about the big game up at the Big Dome.

Ateneo must beat La Salle twice to make it to the best-of-three finals and face unbeaten University of the East for the men’s crown in the extended 70th UAAP season.

If Ateneo wins tomorrow, a do-or-die contest will be held Sunday. Otherwise, it’s Game One of the finals that will take place between UE and La Salle.

“We want to play another game after Thursday. We want to play them again,” added Black, winner of 10 titles in 17 years of coaching in Philippine Basketball Association.

“We’re just trying to live and play another game. That’s our only focus – to play another game,”said Black in the weekly forum at Shakey’s UN Ave, and sponsored by Red Bull and Pagcor.

“And certainly, we’re not thinking about UE at this time. We have a hard, long road to go before we even think about that,” he added.

La Salle head coach Franz Pumaren begged off due to a previous commitment, but sent his deputy, former Green Archer and PBA player Joey Santamaria.

Santamaria shook hands with Black before joining the panel. Then wasted no time saying that the Green Archers have no plans playing the Blue Eagles on Sunday.

“No,” he said.

“We have to finish it in one game and avoid the complications of a knock-out game. We have to get into our players’ minds not to think about the twice-to-beat advantage,” he said.

Santamaria, who played three years for La Salle and was part of the 1989 champion team that also included Pumaren, said the Green Archers are well-rested and ready to go.

“The one-week rest can work both ways for us. But we’re ready to play,” said the eight-year PBA veteran who played for 195 games for Purefoods, Pepsi and Mobiline.

Ateneo and La Salle have met thrice this season, with the Blue Eagles enjoying the edge, 2-1. But this will have no bearing in tomorrow’s game, according to Black.

“I don’t think these games will have any meaning anymore. What happened in the past doesn’t concern me anymore,” said Black.