RYAN Buenafe (left) of Ateneo pressures a pass by La Salle’s Jeron Teng with help from teammate Kiefer Ravena (right). Buenafe hopes to shine anew as the Eagles seek a Final Four slot. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Ateneo goes for the first UAAP Final Four berth today hoping to come up with more surprises in its bid for a record fifth straight title.
Just five days after Ryan Buenafe rediscovered his old form, the Blue Eagles shoot for win No. 10 against the eliminated University of the East in the men’s basketball tournament at 2 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena.
“One of the big keys to our team is the fact that we do have balance and we don’t have to rely on one player to carry us every game,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black.
La Salle, aiming to tighten its hold of the fourth spot, takes on another out-of-it squad in University of the Philippines at 4 p.m.
Aside from the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers, only Far Eastern University (8-3), University of Santo Tomas (8-3) and National U (6-5) remain in semifinal contention.
“We’re still within striking distance and the good thing about our situation right now is we got separation from NU,” said La Salle coach Gee Abanilla.
Another triumph puts the Archers a full game ahead of the fifth-running Bulldogs, whose appeal to nullify their recent loss to FEU was junked by league commissioner Ato Badolato yesterday.
NU had earlier contested the buzzer-beating shot of FEU’s RR Garcia in the game won by the Tamaraws, 77-75, last Sunday.
“Based on my review, the ball left RR’s hand just in time,” said Badolato.
But the Bulldogs plan to file an appeal to the UAAP board this week.
“We will appeal to the UAAP technical committee and to the UAAP board en banc,” said Junel Baculi, NU’s board representative.