Despite win-once edge, FEU treats match vs Ateneo like KO game

The Tamaraws shoot for the finals berth vs the Blue Eagles on Saturday. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The way Far Eastern University is approaching its match against Ateneo at the start of the UAAP Final Four on Saturday, one may think that the Tamaraws are the lower seeded team.

Head coach Nash Racela is not leaving anything to chance as he aims to steer FEU back in the finals for the second straight time.

“Saturday is a knockout game for us,” Racela told reporters after FEU eliminated La Salle from Final Four contention in an embarrassing fashion. “That’s going to be our approach.”

Racela also revealed that the focus of FEU’s practice since Monday was in preparation for its game against Ateneo with the Tamaraws already locked at second seed with atwice-to-beat advantage.

The Tamaraws swept the Blue Eagles in the elimination round inlcuding a 24-point whipping during their first meeting two months ago.

But Racela knows that those wins hardly matter in the Final Four where the stakes are higher.

“The Final Four is different. We have to be ready for them.”