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[av_heading heading=’Ateneo faces La Salle, eyes finals berth in UAAP caging ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, November 12, 2017
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MANILA – Ateneo Blue Eagles will aim for an outright finals seat in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball when it faces rival De La Salle University Green Archers today at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Blue Eagles – on top of the standings with 13-0 win-loss – can barge to the best-of-three finals if it wins over Green Archers and sweeps the double-round eliminations, turning the semifinals into a step-ladder format.
If Ateneo falls to the defending champion, it may still end up as the No. 1 team heading into the Final Four with a twice-to-beat advantage over the No. 4 team.
Getting an outright finals seat is easier said than done, especially with Green Archers, which has yet to lose in Round 2 eliminations, blocking their way, Blue Eagles assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said.
“La Salle is a formidable opponent and we can’t look past them. We have to focus on them,” Arespacochaga said. “So we are not gonna be focusing on the sweep and the finals.”
Matt Nieto, who drained game-winning free throws in their first round win over Green Archers, said it will be difficult to duplicate their 76-75 victory with La Salle improving its play in the second round.
“It will take another strong effort for us to beat DLSU,” Nieto said. “We’ll take it one possession at a time, make it our own pace. And, of course, we should play as a team and follow coach Tab (Baldwin).”
“So, for me, just do our job. We know our job specifically, and we just have to do it. If we all do it, I’m sure that it’s gonna boil down to a win for us,” Nieto added.
If it happens, Blue Eagles will be the first team to make a 14-0 elimination sweep since University of the East Red Warriors in Season 70. But Red Warriors ended up losing to Green Archers in the finals then./PN
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