Ateneo seeks last Finals’ ticket as Adamson hopes to stay alive as both teams square off Sunday at the Big Dome.
By: Geoff Latayan
Defending back-to-back champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles will try to clinch the second Finals berth.
On the other side, the Adamson University Soaring Falcons will shoot for a rubber match and their very first win against Ateneo after 27 straight setbacks.
These things will be on their minds Sunday, September 19 as both teams collide, 4:00 PM at the Big Dome.
Final Four success.
Having the twice to beat advantage, the Blue Eagles (10-4) have two chances to secure a Finals berth and a chance to play first finalist FEU Tamaraws.
However, Coach Norman Black’s wards know how to get the job done quickly and easily as result of their Final Four encounters in the past two years wherein they dispose their rivals instantly and convincingly. In fact, they crushed both of their rivals by an average of 18.5 points.
In Season 71, the Blue Eagles chomped the UE Red Warriors 70-50 and in Season 72, they ravaged the UST Growling Tigers, 81-64.
Ateneo’s easy wins in the Final Four in Seasons 71 and 72 were their passport in winning back-to-back championships.
For Adamson, this will mark their first time since Season 69 that qualified for the Final Four. To note, it was the season when Adamson’s own Ken Bono wrapped up the Season MVP. Coaching that time was Coach Leo Austria.
The sad part of it though, the fourth-ranked Soaring Falcons faced the top-ranked Blue Eagles that season and lost a heartbreaking 73-76 setback.
In a way, this is a rematch of Season 69 and Adamson is seeking revenge.
This season
For this season, Ateneo has swept the season series (the Blue Eagles has won 27 straight matches against the Soaring Falcons) against Adamson but both were hard-fought as both games ended with Ateneo winning by just three points.
Based on this season’s games, the Blue Eagles and the Soaring Falcons seemed to match up well with each other as they have guards who could take the role playmakers or scorers; wingmen who can score in bunches at any given time and big men who can intimidate the post and whack up some quality points for their respective teams.
The Blue Eagles would be favorites for this series because of their experience and two wins over the Soaring Falcons but an upset is possible due to Adamson’s capability of canceling every Ateneo strength out.
The game is set at 4:00 pm and with the first final four game between FEU-DLSU ending up in a classic, heart-pounding action, everyone is expecting to have this Blue and White Bird rivalry to equal or even surpass what has happened Thursday between rivals having shades of Green on their uniforms.
