Eagles gun for No. 11; Perasol returns

Ateneo aims to stay unbeaten against a dangerous Far Eastern U, even as a full-strength University of the Philippines battles University of Santo Tomas in a clash of Final Four contenders on Wednesday in UAAP Season 82 basketball tournament at MOA Arena.

La Salle shoots for a crucial win against University of the East in the 10:30 a.m. game, kicking off a heavy schedule that will have huge implications in the jostling for semifinal seats.

Coming off a 77-69 win over the Green Archers last Sunday, the Eagles hope to sustain their incredible run against the Tamaraws, who seem to be peaking at the right time.

Wary of FEU’s ability to clamp down on defense, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin hopes some new schemes will work as the two-time defending champion Eagles continue their remarkable progress this season.

“FEU is always prepared and coach Olsen (Racela) comes up with a good game plan,” said Baldwin.

“We’re toying with some offensive changes that you’ll see pop up over the next few weeks. We want to create variety. We don’t think we’re a great basketball team yet so there’s always things to work on.”

Even with their explosive finish that stunned UST, 72-58 on Sunday, Racela insists the Tamaraws are still lacking the consistency they need to reach the Final Four.

“We’ve proven that we can compete against the top teams and we’re hoping that we can do that on a consistent basis,” said Racela, whose team is tied with UST at third spot with a 5-5 record.

UP will have all hands on deck with coach Bo Perasol returning from suspension. But the Tigers are also raring to bounce back following their disappointing endgame performance in the loss to the Tamaraws.

Perasol said his suspension has allowed him to gain a different perspective on his star-studded team’s subpar performances.

“In hindsight, what those suspensions gave me was a chance to appreciate how we’re playing as a team as viewed in a different medium,” said Perasol.

“There are a lot of aspects in our game which I couldn’t figure out until I watched live on TV. Looking forward, I believe it will only prove beneficial to our team.”