INQUIRER Sports

GAMES TODAY (Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m.?National U vs UP
4 p.m.?UST vs Far Eastern U

FAR EASTERN TRIES TO EXTEND THE SEAson?s longest streak when it faces dangerous University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP men?s basketball tournament today at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tamaraws go for a seventh straight victory in the 4 p.m. duel with the Tigers and a tie for top spot with the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles.

University of the Philippines and National University tangle earlier at 2 p.m.

The Tamaraws will miss the services of veteran Reil Cervantes, who will serve a one-game suspension after the 6-foot-5 slotman figured in an altercation with University of the East Warriors? Pari Llagas last week.

Yet the Tamaraws still banner a formidable frontline led by Aldrech Ramos, the only player in the league boasting of a double-double average of 11.4 points and 10.9 rebounds.

?Going into the second round, we know that all the other teams want to beat us so our game must be one step higher,? said FEU coach Glenn Capacio.

?I always preach team play,? added Capacio. ?And if we play good defense, we always have a strong chance of winning.?
Top MVP contender
The Tamaraws own a 90-63 victory over the Tigers in the first round where they held Dylan Ababou, the top contender for the Most Valuable Player award, to a personal low of 10 points.

?We must have team effort,? said Ababou. ?We have no big man in our team. But Jeric (Teng) has been showing a lot of heart and will to win and (Khasim) Mirza has been backing me up every time I?m having a hard time.?

Ababou, who led the Tigers to a third-best 4-3 record, averaged a league-best 19.6 points on top of 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the first round.

Mirza also ranked second overall in scoring at 17 points per game, while Teng, the 6-foot-2 son of former pro Alvin, emerged as the top rookie bet with averages of 13.9 markers and 3.9 boards.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, capped their first-round campaign with a 76-70 triumph over Adamson to climb to 2-5.