Headlining busy UAAP schedule, Ateneo seeks 9th straight victory

Defending champion Ateneo seeks to extend its unbeaten start to nine games, while Far Eastern U and University of the East aim to sustain their winning runs on Wednesday in UAAP men’s basketball action at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

While the Blue Eagles have remained untouchable so far this season, the race to the Final Four is shaping up to be wild and frenetic with the second to seventh placed teams only separated by two wins.

The Eagles, who have won seven of their eight games by double-digit margins, face an Adamson team desperately seeking to end a two-game slide at 4 p.m.

The Tamaraws hope to avenge their first round loss to National U at 10:30 a.m, before the Red Warriors gun for a third consecutive victory against University of Santo Tomas.

As it stands, the Tamaraws and Growling Tigers are tied for third with La Salle with 4-4 records, while the Falcons are tied with the Warriors at sixth spot with 3-5 records.

The game against the Bulldogs is still part of a tough stretch for the Tamaraws, who are facing teams that have beaten them in the first round in their first four games of the second phase of the elimination round. An 82-79 overtime victory over University of the Philippines last Sunday has given the Tamaraws renewed confidence.

“What we have now, this team, embodies the ‘Be Brave’ spirit of FEU,” said FEU coach Olsen Racela. “It’s a team that fights until the end, that doesn’t just give up … They might not be as talented as the other teams, but our team spirit gives us a chance in the endgame.”