Early Showdown For Blue Eagles, Tamaraws

.

ATENEO will begin its three-peat bid against Far Eastern University in the second playdate of the 73rd University Athletic Association of the Philippines on July 11 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles are the top favorites to win the crown this year along with the Tamaraws despite losing key veterans.

They collide in the second game at 4 p.m. after the tussle between University of the East and University of Santo Tomas at 2 p.m.

The Blue Eagles swept the Tamaraws in the best-of-three championship series, their fifth title in the UAAP.

This season’s host La Salle plays University of the Philippines in the opening game of at 2 p.m. on July 10 also at the Big Dome while Adamson and National University, tabbed this year as darkhorse, meet in the second game.

Ateneo is looking to win its third-straight crown but the Blue Eagles have to do it minus two-time Most Valuable Player Rabeh Al-Hussaini and three-point specialist Jai Reyes—both have played for five years.

FEU, on the other hand, is projected to challenge the Loyola-based school for the crown as it lost only veteran guard Mark Barroca.

Coach Glenn Capacio will still have Smart Gilas members Aldrech Ramos and JR Cawaling to lead his team along with upcoming point guard Ryan Roose Garcia and seasoned center Reil Cervantes.

The first Ateneo-La Salle showdown is scheduled on July 24 at 5 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Like last season, the UAAP will play the first game early at 12 p.m. featuring the Red Warriors and the Bulldogs and there will different sets of tickets for that day.

NU, now to be handled by Eric Gonzales, is regarded as one of the teams to watch along with UP because of their solid recruits and training abroad.

The Bulldogs will parade six-foot-seven center Emmanuel Mbe from Cameroon while the Fighting Maroons, who last made it to the semifinals in 1997, have prized recruit Mike Silungan, a prolific scorer who can provide consistent numbers for coach Aboy Castro.

The Green Archers of coach Dindo Pumaren, who took the job from elder brother Franz, are out to perform better after missing the semifinals round last year.