Maroons face acid test versus Warriors

The fighting Maroons against the red-hot Warriors.

In what could turn out to be a bruising encounter, the unbeaten UP Maroons square off against the UE Warriors today with the latter eyeing a share of second place in the 68th UAAP basketball season.

The game is set at 2 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Maroons, undefeated and sharing the lead with the FEU Tamaraws at 3-0, are known for their physical brand of game and will certainly try to use it to their advantage in the game.

The Warriors, on the other hand, will rely on their quick run-and-gun game anchored on spitfires Marcy Arellano, Earn Saguindel and Robert Labagala. UE is tied for third with Adamson at 2-1.

After losing to the Tamaraws in the season-opener on July 9, the Warriors squeezed past National University before pulling off the biggest surprise so far this year by beating La Salle on July 14.

Citing two non-calls by the referees, the last one coming late in the third quarter, the Green Archers placed the game under protest only to be denied by the UAAP board.

The board decided that protest was not based on any technicality but judgment calls and that those alleged goal-tending violations came early in the game, meaning La Salle still had many chances to win the game.

The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Green Archers as they fell to 1-2 in probably their worst start in seven years under coach Franz Pumaren. La Salle, however, is in good company with Ateneo down with a similar slate.

La Salle takes on surging Adamson in the second seniors match at 4 p.m.

The Falcons, under a new coach in Mel Alas, are enjoying a good start, winning two of their first three games, including one against Santo Tomas the other day, prompting Alas to declare that "Adamson is back." — Abac Cordero