FEU, NU start Finals battle

STILL on a high just three days after their pulsating Final Four victories, Far Eastern University and National University also aim to stay at the peak of their game.

More so now as the Tamaraws and the Bulldogs clash in a historic UAAP men’s basketball championship series starting in Game 1 at 3:30 p.m. today at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Honestly, I cannot tell how it feels or how it’s going to be in the Finals because it’s our first time,” NU coach Eric Altamirano said after his Bulldogs and the Tamaraws eliminated the league’s two most popular squads, marking the first time in 20 years there will be neither La Salle nor Ateneo in the Finals.

“My message to the team was to do what we do,” added Altamirano. “We’ve gotten to this point, so why would we change our game, why would we be somebody we’re not.”

The Bulldogs, the No. 4 seed who amazingly overcame the twice-to-beat semifinal advantage of top-ranked Blue Eagles, returned to the title round for the first time in 44 years.

NU also vies for a record run in the women’s division as the Lady Bulldogs shoot for a perfect season against the Lady Tamaraws in Game 2 of their Finals series at 12:30 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs, who tote a thrice-to-beat edge after a 14-0 sweep of the eliminations, moved within a win of their first championship after routing the Lady Tamaraws, 80-58, in the series opener last Wednesday.

While the Tamaraws also intend to stick to what works for them, FEU coach Nash Racela wants his players to keep their focus on the best-of-three series even after the thrill of ending the Green Archers’ back-to-back title bid, 67-64, on Mac Belo’s buzzer-beating triple.

“In this kind of series, you have to forget everything that happened before,” said Racela. “What’s important is the game ahead of us.  It’s going to be a different NU team in the Finals.  It’s going to be tough because (Alfred) Aroga and (Gelo) Alolino have been playing well.”

The Tamaraws are the slight favorites with Belo and Mike Tolomia  leading the charge.