Eagles try to bounce back versus Falcons

While the controversy surrounding La Salle’s Mark Cardona continues to fill the air, the race for the Final Four in the 64th UAAP men’s basketball tournament resumes today with Ateneo and National U, running second and third, respectively, taking on separate opponents at the Ateneo Gym.

The Eagles, in second with a 7-2 record, will try to pick up the pieces following a sorry 55-62 loss to Santo Tomas last Sunday when they tackle winless Adamson at 4 p.m. NU, seeking its first Final Four stint since the format was introduced in 1994, meets Santo Tomas at 2 p.m.

A quick look at the standings will give the Eagles a distinct advantage over the Falcons, who have yet to win in nine games this season. Overall, Adamson has not won in 29 games since 1999. And while the Eagles are expected to dismiss the Falcons, the NU Bulldogs (5-4) will be in for a tough fight against the Tigers, off to their worst start in recent years but still as determined to reach the Final Four.

"I’m sure that the confidence of my players have gone up following that victory over Ateneo. I’m just reminding them that we need to win as many games as possible so we can catch up with the leaders," said coach Aric del Rosario, who led the Tigers to four straight titles until 1996.

The Archers, on top of the eight-team field with a 9-1 record, are locked up in the brewing controvery regarding questions on Cardona’s school records with Carson High in California.

In a press conference held last Monday, La Salle officials, however, showed mediamen "authentic and unfabricated" documents showing that Cardona studied abroad for only two years and three months with the last five years, therefore, making him eligible to play this year.

The UAAP board has yet to decide on whether or not it would still pursue its case against La Salle, which faces forfeiture of all its won ballgames wherein Cardona, a pesky 6-foot-1 guard-forward, was fielded.