Eagles eye to boost twice-to-beat bid

By Jonas Terrado - Manila Bulletin - August 21, 2008

While the rest of the teams are either trying to improve on their standings or jockeying for the Final 4 slots, Ateneo will be aiming to bolster its bid for a twice-to-beat advantage today as it battles University of the East in the 71st UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles, whose 9-1 record formally gave them a spot in the next phase, are heavily-favored to claim their 10th win of the season against the Red Warriors.

The Loyola-based squad is a game ahead of La Salle, which sports an 8-2 win-loss card and already assured of at least a playoff for one of the four coveted seats.

But while Ateneo is already in the semifinals, Eagles tactician Norman Black is not about to relax.
"Our goal is to get to the top two but it doesn’t stop here," Black said. "We have to play hard and continue respecting our opponents because we have no time to relax."

In last Sunday’s win over Adamson, the duo of Rabeh Al-Hussaini and reserve guard Eric Salamat joined hands in dealing Adamson its eighth loss, 78-59, and their exploits will surely be on UE strategist Dindo Pumaren’s mind when they take to the court this afternoon. Al-Hussaini had 29 points while Salamat shot 17 against the Falcons.

Top player Chris Tiu, rookie Ryan Buenafe and workhorse Nonoy Baclao are also capable of taking the limelight in case Al-Hussaini and Salamat fail to light up the scoreboard.

The first time the two squads met last July 13, Ateneo ran away with a 64-58 victory with Al-Hussaini racking up 17 points and the same number of rebounds.

"We have to prepare against Rabeh because of the most the time they go to the post," said Pumaren.

Black believes UE is on a high following the Warriors’ massive 95-65 win over host University of the Philippines over the weekend.

"UE is playing a lot better," he said. "They looked impressive with the way they played defense and they seemed to have their rhythm back already."

Despite a smaller frontline, Pumaren will most likely tap the services of Elmer Espiritu, Hans Thiele, and Pari Llagas in order to neutralize Al-Hussaini.

But the peppery duo of James Martinez and Marcy Arellano will try to make up for UE’s lack of ceiling.
Meanwhile, cellar-dwellers UP and Adamson look to go one up on each other when they meet in the 2 p.m. opener.

Both teams enter the match trying to end their respective losing skids. The Fighting Maroons are on a three-game slide while the Falcons are on a six-game skid stretching back to the first round.