FEU-La Salle II: Payback time

Defending champion La Salle and Far Eastern U clash for the UAAP men’s cage crown for the second straight time but the storyline from the previous year could dramatically change when the best-of-three series begins today before an expected huge crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

Boasting of perhaps the most formidable frontcourt tandem in Arwind Santos and Mark Isip, the Tams lorded it over the field from the elims on their way to the finals and are picked as the slight favorites to prevail over the Archers, who leaned on their big fighting heart to claim the No. 2 spot in the Final Four and eventually the other championship berth.

Gametime is at 3:30 p.m. with FEU picked to beat La Salle in a series experts predict will go the distance.

FEU coach Bert Flores, however, downplayed their chances.

"We’re bigger than them but it doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy beating them," said Flores, whose wards lost the crown to the Archers, 2-1, in last year’s finals.

That setback has become the rallying point for Santos and Isip, who had to forego their earlier plan to turn pro this year primarily to get back at the Archers.

"One of the reasons why I didn’t apply for the PBA draft this year is because I really wanted to get even with La Salle," said Santos in Filipino. The 22-year-old inside operator with a fine outside shooting touch is also expected to bag the MVP plum in the league’s annual awarding rites in Game 2.

"It is a given that we are here to make our school proud again," the 24-year-old Isip said.

Despite their advantage in manpower, Flores cautions his wards not to fall into a false sense of security, saying: "Don’t underestimate the heart of a champion."

"I don’t think anyone is really assured to win, 2-0," said La Salle mentor Franz Pumaren, who steered the Archers past their arch rivals the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 74-57, in the Final Four encounter last Thursday. "But for sure it’s going to be a David and Goliath series because we’re clearly the underdogs."

Truly, the Tams have dominated the Archers this season, beating them, 69-62, last July 31 before escaping with a 70-69 win last Aug. 21. Santos and Isip combined for 58 points, 41 rebounds and 10 blocks in both games.

FEU also topped the elimination with an imposing 12-2 (win-loss) slate and routed University of the East, 78-57, Thursday in a Final Four match that turned out to be a virtual workout for the Tams.

"We have to do a better job in trying to control the rebounds because we’re playing against a bigger team," said Pumaren, who is seeking a sixth crown as coach of the Taft-based school.

Joseph Yeo hopes to duplicate or better his 28-point output against the Eagles although he is expected to run into a tough FEU defense from start to finish.

"He’s (Yeo) their leader and we need to really contain, if not stop, him," said Flores.

Meanwhile, defending champion Adamson takes on Ateneo in their own best-of-three series for the women’s crown at 11:30 a.m. while reigning junior titlist Ateneo faces University of the Philippines in a playoff at 1:30 p.m.