Tigers gun for Final 4 vs Eagles; Apacible out

Ed Daquioag vs Kiefer Ravena. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of Santo Tomas goes for the first UAAP Final Four berth against an Ateneo side dealing with yet another controversy.

The Tigers go for a ninth victory in 10 outings as the Blue Eagles try to keep their focus even after team officials suspended sophomore forward John Apacible for the rest of the men’s basketball eliminations due to public misconduct.

Game time is set at 4 p.m., right after skidding defending champion National University and Adamson clash at 2 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

READ: Apacible banned from Ateneo games, practices after drunk driving incident

Team officials banned Apacible from the Eagles’ games and practices Tuesday after Ateneo confirmed the authenticity of a viral video showing the 19-year-old player making a fool of himself during a road altercation in Quezon City last Sunday.

“John deeply regrets his reprehensible behavior and sincerely apologizes to all parties concerned,” Ateneo athletic director Emmanuel Fernandez said.

The video shows an allegedly drunk Apacible cursing and challenging an involved party into a fistfight while brandishing a vanity “Councilor” license plate.

Apacible, who averaged only seven minutes of play, holds a notably perfect 11-of-11 field-goal shooting clip.

READ: ‘Drunk’ Ateneo player in viral video to face sanctions

Aside from the team ban, Apacible faces possible school sanctions.

“As far as the school is concerned, there will be a process that will have to be followed before any decision is arrived at,” said Ricky Palou, Ateneo’s representative to the UAAP Board.

But the rest of the Eagles need to get it together as they face the opponent who dealt them one of the embarrassing losses that had led to calls for the ouster of Ateneo coach Bo Perasol.

The Eagles blew a whopping 16-point lead against the Tigers, 68-58, before also losing to La Salle in the first round.

But the embattled Eagles, who are tied for third place with the Archers at 5-4, hope to put aside the distractions.

“The game right now is positioning,” said Perasol. “We really have to do a better job at closing out the game.”

The Tigers, in contrast, have stayed sharp behind veterans Kevin Ferrer and Ed Daquioag.

“We hope to sustain it,” said UST coach Bong dela Cruz.