Eagles duel Tigers for fourth slot

Games today

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. – UE vs UP

4 p.m. – ADMU vs UST

STANDINGS        W            L

x-NU     10           4

x-DLSU 10           4

x-FEU    10           4

ADMU  7              6

UST        7              6

UE          6              7

AdU       4              10

UP          0              13

x-clinched Final Four slot

MANILA, Philippines - With the balance of power in the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball tournament tilting towards others, holders Ateneo and runner-up University of Santo Tomas find themselves relegated to a dispute of the fourth and last Final Four berth this time after figuring in a title showdown last year.

Toting identical 7-6 (win-loss) cards with only one game remaining in their eliminations slate, the Blue Eagles and the Tigers slug it out today – not for the crown but for the last semis berth.

That’s how things swayed for last year’s finalists as National U clinched the No. 1 slot and the coveted twice-to-beat incentive in the Final Four for the first time. Far Eastern U and La Salle dispute the No. 2 berth and the other semis incentive on Saturday.

NU, FEU and La Salle actually finished tied at 10-4 at the close of the double round elims but the Bulldogs took the top spot after the tiebreak, leaving the Archers and the Tams to dispute the other semis bonus.

Winner of the 4 p.m. duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum will earn the last available ticket to the Final Four and arrange a showdown with National U.

“Our goal at the start of the tournament is to make it to the Final Four and now we have a chance of achieving it. The focus right now is to get that one game against a tough team and hopefully, we’re lucky enough,” said Ateneo team manager Paolo Trillo, who added they want to win this game for coach Bo Perasol and graduating players Frank Golla, Juami Tiongson, JP Erram and Ryan Buenafe.

The Blue Eagles try to put their six-peat aspirations alive minus Perasol, who is serving his one-game suspension for “violating” the conditions of his previous ban in their controversial game against University of the East.

“My team will fight to the end with or without me at the helm,” said Perasol, who intends to stay away from the venue for the duration of the game to avoid a repeat of his controversial “presence” at the Mall of Asia Arena during his “period of suspension” last Sept. 4.

Assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga is tapped to call the shots, taking charge for the second time after leading the Eagles to a 77-72 win in the UE game.

“Coach Sandy has proven he can lead the team. He is capable enough and I’m confident he can do the same (win again),” said Perasol.

The Tigers bungled a chance to get the inside track against Ateneo in their race for the final semis spot when they lost to La Salle, 64-69, last Saturday. This made today’s ballgame – rescheduled from the Aug. 21 playdate suspended due to typhoon and flooding – a knockout for the last semis ticket.

“We are down, but we are not out,” UST coach Pido Jarencio said after their disappointing setback to the Archers.

University of the East (6-7) and University of the Philippines (0-13) tangle in the 2 p.m. first game, bidding to end an unsuccessful season on a high note.

Meanwhile, La Salle and Far Eastern meet in a playoff for the No. 2 spot on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Winner will need to beat the other just one more time in the Final Four on Sept. 25, to advance to the finals.