The Falcons and the Tamaraws are, oddly, my choices as dark horses for the UAAP basketball plum this season.
I know, quizzical eyebrows will be raised.
Whiles this was being written, Adamson has racked up an 8 – 2 win – loss card while FEU totes a 5-5 even slate as the tourney takes a break in observance of All Saints Day.
With former PBA coach Franz Pumaren at the helm, the San Marcelino dribblers have shown their true worth by subduing perennial collegiate favorites
Ateneo and La Salle one after the other.
The Morayta, Sampaloc-based squad of Olsen Racela is proud to have shot down Ateneo, his former college team, at the end of the first round. UP may not be winning important matches but the Fighting Maroons are giving their opponents hell. For me, as a UAAP fan, UP is the league’s sentimental favorite.
(For the life of me, I cannot understand that while the State U excels academically, its sports program seems to be wanting.)
The Eagles (9-2) and the Falcons have already entered the F4 while the Archers (5-4), the Growling Tigers (5-5) and the Tams will slug it out for the next two F4 berths.
Which of these three ballclubs can crawl successfully out of the hole and survive the grueling match-ups is anybody’s guess.
Under new coach Alden Ayo, the Tigers got themselves mauled early in the first round but were able to recover their tough form, even registering a close but convincing victory over the Tamaraws.
Pumaren is blessed to have an outstanding sharp shooting guard in Jerrick Ahanmisi and a monster of a veteran center in Pappi Sarr. Both have distinct court savvy, enabling the Falcons to give their counterparts at Loyola and Taft avenue a run for the money.
Although the defending titlists and its bench intact, Ateneo’s armor of invincibility had been severely pierced by their twin losses to Adamson and FEU.
This goes to show that my “crystal ball gazing” is working, huh?
Ideally, if the F4 comes up to its pre-season billing, Ateneo could meet FEU and Adamson to collide against La Salle.
There is also not a remote possibility that La Salle would end up confronting archrival Ateneo outright in the F4 should FEU improve its ranking when UAAP competitions resume after the holiday break.
But surely, Ateneo and Adamson are already one-two, in this order.
These are both twice to beat privileges for the Eagles and the Falcons. But don’t discount the possibility of an upset. The Archers and the Tams are fighting fiercely. They don’t give up easily.
At this time, it might be good to remind the UAAP Commissioner to keep his eyes focused on officiating. The ugly head of gambling usually rears itself during this sensitive phase of the tournament.
I think most of my friends in the sports writing fraternity know where I am coming from. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES! ###
