Laro Ngayon
(MOA Arena)
3 n.h. -- De La Salle vs Ateneo
ALAMIN: Mga dapat mong malaman tungkol kay Jose Rizal
Muli na namang mapapalamutian ng asul at berdeng bandiritas ang kapaligiran ng MOA Arena sa pagtipa ng Game 1ngayon ng UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball championship best-of-three sa pagitan ng De LaSalle at Ateneo.
Nakatakda ang duwelo ganap na alas:3:00 ng hapon.
Itinalagang dominanteng koponan ng liga ngayong season kasunod ng naitala nilang 12 - game winning run sa elimination, liyamado ang Green Archers laban sa Blue Eagles.
Ngunit, ang tanging kabiguan na nakamit ng La Salle ay galing sa Ateneo at ito ang panghahawakan ng Blue Eagles sa serye.
“The confidence that we take from beating them once, at the same time, knowing that the team was a little bit complacent and a team that was on a 12-game run, that was a team that had beaten us soundly before, we know that we are not going to see the same Green Archers team in Game One,” pahayag ni Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin.
“But I think we have some momentum and certainly, with some inspiration we take from that game, we are going to stand in front of them. We are not going to bow out of the way. We are not going to open the door for them,” aniya.
At kung ipinangangalandakan ng Green Archers na handa na silang bawian ang Blue Eagles sa ginawa nitong pagpigil sa asam nila noong outright finals berth, sinabi naman ng Ateneo mentor na handa rin sila sa pakikipagtuos muli sa Archers.
“We are going to bloody them I’m sure as they want to bloody us,” ayon kay Baldwin.
Mismong si La Salle Cameroonian slotman Ben Mbala ang nagsabing mistulang impiyerno ang hirap na pinagdaanan nila bilang paghahanda sa laban nila sa kampeonato kaya naman tinitiyak niyang preparado ang kanilang katawan at isipan sa susuunging matinding laban.
“The team is mentally and physically prepared to whatever will come to us,” ani Mbala.
Samantala, sa nakaraang apat na pagtatapat ng dalawang koponan sa finals, nakakalamang ang Ateneo na nagwagi ng tatlong beses noong 1988, 2002 at pinakahuli noong 2008 kumpara sa Green Archers na nagwagi noong 2001.
(Marivic Awitan)
