Archers try to end it all today
By: Zean Macamay
People's Journal
September 27, 2007
Game Today:
(Araneta Coliseum)
3:00 p.m. -- Ateneo vs De La Salle
They accomplished that when they defeated the Blue Eagles in a playoff for the No. 2 spot nearly two weeks ago. Now, they face the same situation again, this time for the right to meet a well-rested University of the East in the Finals.
All that Pumaren and his Archers will hope for is that today’s critical game against the Eagles would be the last for the season.
De La Salle tries to end Ateneo’s run in the UAAP men’s basketball championships, shooting for an outright Finals slot in their stepladder semifinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Archers have a twice-to-beat advantage after defeating their bitter enemy, 70-69, in a knockout game last Sept. 16, but will have no reason to be confident mainly because the Eagles have all but appeared to recover their striking form.
“It’s always nice to have a twice-to-beat advantage,” said Pumaren. “But you don’t have to given your enemy the chance to force a sudden-death. Our mindset is to go to the Finals right away.”
De La Salle lost to Ateneo twice in the eliminations, including a controversial game in the first round. But the Archers look as if they’re the more determined team when a heavy stake is on the line.
The Eagles, who have yet to win a title under coach Norman Black, are coming from a 69-64 win over University of Sto. Tomas in another KO game for the right to meet the Archers.
And apparently, Ateneo showed in that thrilling encounter that it, too, can pull through when the going gets tough in the pivotal stretch.
“It’s going to be the fourth time,” said Black, now on his third season with the Eagles, about their match-up against the Archers this season. “It’s always tough playing De La Salle. But we have built some sort of confidence because of the UST game.”
Ateneo, which won five straight games nearing the end of the eliminations before losing to National U that dealt a big blow in its effort to clinch the No. 2 spot, will certainly have on its side some sort of rhythm, having played last Sunday.
“We have shown in the past that we can beat them,” added Black. “We just have to concentrate. They are well-rested, but we have rhythm.”
On JV Casio, La Salle’s leading scorer with a 15 ppg average, lies perhaps the fate of the Archers if they finally finish off the Eagles. Other players who are expected to step up are TY Tang, who averages 11.2 points a game and 3.5 assists.
Rico Maierhofer is also there not only on offense, but to stop Ford Arao.
Arao, who Black calls his best player and the one responsible for Ateneo’s extended campaign, collected17 points, six rebounds and six assists against the Growling Tigers.
If ever De La Salle moves on to meet UE in the best-of-three championships, Franz will square off with younger brother Dindo, who steered the Red Warriors to a rare 14-0 sweep of the eliminations.
UE is gunning for its first title since 1985 when it won the tailend of its back-to-back title during the time of Allan Caidic and Jerry Codinera.
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