Favorites Archers open bid vs Tams

ONE OF THE reasons that made La Salle this year’s favorite tried to downplay expectations.

But whether he likes it or not, there will be tons of expectations when prized recruit Ben Mbala takes the floor with the Green Archers in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball  today.

“I’m not going out there to say I’ll dominate,” said Mbala, the 6-foot-7 Cameroonian rookie. “But I’ll give my best, I’ll give everything for my team. Expect me to give everything out there, offensively and defensively.”

The Archers open their highly touted bid versus defending champion Far Eastern University at 4 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena.

National University and University of the East also kick off their campaign in the first match at 2 p.m.

FEU coach Nash Racela doesn’t mind yielding the favorite tag to the Archers, knowing that his Tamaraws won’t be the same following the graduation of their champion core led  by Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia and Roger Pogoy.

“I like that we’re under the radar,” said Racela. “I’d rather that we’re quiet and we let our performance speak for ourselves.”

A heated La Salle-FEU tuneup match last month that led to a skirmish among coaches and players added spice to the showdown.

“It’s brought about by the competitiveness of both teams,” said Racela. “People will put a lot of color on what happened.”

New La Salle mentor Aldin Ayo also wants to put an end to that unfinished preseason match, but intends to focus more on how his players, led by Mbala, Jeron Teng, Thomas Torres and Jason Perkins, will respond to FEU’s challenge.

“You can’t take away the confidence that you get from winning a championship,” said Ayo. “For me they’re still a contender. They have the players, the materials, the coaching staff.”