Tams seek semis berth vs Warriors

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. – DLSU vs AdU

4 p.m. – FEU vs UE

MANILA, Philippines – Frontrunning Far Eastern U seeks to continue its charge and claim the first Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball tournament today when it locks horns with unpredictable University of the East at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tamaraws gun for their ninth win in 10 outings to secure their third straight Final Four appearance in the 4 p.m. showdown with a Red Warriors bunch (3-6) determined to catch up with teams vying for semifinal berths.

FEU coach Nash Racela remembered too well how the pesky Warriors stretched his wards to the limit the first time they faced off last Sept. 23. In that duel, the Warriors led by 15 points and it took the Tams an 18-0 run in the fourth to turn things around.

“UE almost got us in the first round. We can’t take them lightly,” said Racela, also reiterating the importance of every game to his wards in anticipation of their run at the playoffs.

The Tams enter the match with fresher legs as they last saw action last Oct. 14 in a winning outing against University of the Philippines, 65-57. They were supposed to play La Salle last Sunday but the game was called off due to typhoon Lando.

“We took advantage of the 10-day layoff to work on things we think could help us in the playoffs,” said Racela.

The Warriors, for their part, have vowed to work their way up, according to coach Derrick Pumaren.

UE is currently tied for sixth with idle University of the Philippines with three victories but still has a mathematical chance of forcing a playoff for the semis.

Meanwhile, La Salle (5-4) battles cellar-dwelling Adamson (1-9) at 2 p.m. with its sights set on a share of third with idle Ateneo.

Also coming off a 10-day break, the Archers look to tie Ateneo’s six wins and move closer to second-running University of Santo Tomas (8-2) and the Tams as the race for the semis heats up.

The Falcons kissed their semis bid goodbye last Wednesday after to National U in a 79-85 overtime loss in which they squandered a six-point lead in the last two minutes of regulation.

AdU coach Mike Fermin has sought “clarification” on the crucial technical foul called on Jerome Garcia that led to charities that NU’s J-jay Alejandro took advantage of to help the Bulldogs rally in the final 22 seconds of the fourth. Fermin, though, didn’t place this game under protest.