Black and Blue Eagles try to bounce back vs Bulldogs

MANILA, Philippines–No matter how disappointing Ateneo’s loss to fierce rival La Salle was, coach Norman Black thinks his Blue Eagles can come back strong.   They have always done so in the past, he said.   “We’ve done a very good job over the years bouncing back from losses, and so I don’t expect it to be any different,” said Black. “Most of our players have championship experience, so I don’t think you’ll expect them to just roll over and die.”   Black expects that tenacity and more from his back-to-back champion Blue Eagles Saturday when they battle the hard-fighting National U Bulldogs in the 73rd UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.   The Eagles, still searching for a consistent performer, try to forge a three-way tie at 3-2 with the idle Green Archers and University of Santo Tomas Tigers in the 4 p.m. second game.   Winless University of the Philippines and University of the East try to break the ice at 2 p.m.   Far Eastern U strengthened its hold of the top spot after staying perfect in five games, while Adamson remained second at 3-1.   Black expects to draw more from skipper Eric Salamat, who averaged 7.3 points on a poor 28-percent shooting clip in four outings.   “We just need him to step up a little bit more,” Black said of his 6-foot senior guard. “We’re hoping we can get a lot more scoring from him and also from Ryan (Buenafe).”   Ateneo is out to ease the pain of Saturday’s 63-66 upset loss to the young Archers in a game where the Blue Eagles blew a nine-point advantage in the last three minutes.   But the Bulldogs, who took a heartbreaking 59-58 setback against the Tigers Thursday, are expected to bank anew on Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe and Kokoy Hermosisima.   Also hoping to regain their form are the Warriors, last year’s runners-up who have alarmingly skidded to their fourth loss in a row.   “Our number one opponent now is ourselves,” said UE coach  Lawrence Chongson. “We have to regain that winning attitude.”   The Maroons also continued to struggle even with acting coach and PBA champion mentor Boyet Fernandez, who took over the helm last week after coach Aboy Castro filed a leave of absence from the team.