By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
FIRST to barge into the finals of University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81, the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles are now awaiting their possible opponents. But they were quick to say that they have no preference on who to face, focusing instead on themselves and what they need to do come the championship series.
Eliminated the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the first instance on Sunday with an 80-61 victory in their Final Four match, the Eagles, who carried a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, are to face either the Adamson Soaring Falcons or the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the finals of the ongoing UAAP season.
Adamson and UP are to go at it one more time in their do-or-die semifinal matchup set for Wednesday.
For the Eagles, it does not matter who they would face in the championship as they believe both the Falcons and Maroons would present a challenge to them.
They said they would rather focus on bettering themselves and be battle-ready for the finals.
“We will be watching intently the game on Wednesday. Any of those teams will be tough to face in the finals. Both are very deserving to make it through the finals and we have to prepare well against any of them,” said Ateneo deputy Sandy Arespacochaga moments after they finalized their entry back into the finals.
Their mindset was seconded by Ateneo stalwart Thirdy Ravena, who led Ateneo to a fast start against FEU en route to finishing with a game-high 22 points.
“May the best team win [between Adamson and UP]. It has been close between them. We’re not into choosing who we want to face. We are just here to prepare, to better ourselves. Right now we are focusing on what is important, which is us,” Ravena said.
“It is a same feeling. I get nervous still. This finals is different in a sense that it is a different team we are facing. But basically it is the same cycle and mindset for us,” he added, referring to rivals De La Salle Green Archers whom they faced in the finals in the two previous UAAP seasons.
Ravena went on to say that since they are entering the finals as first-time defending champions as a group, it makes it all the more interesting for them.
“We’re coming to the finals as a first-time defending champion. Hopefully the experience we had would help us but it’s going to be a new game. It’s not a guarantee that we know what would happen. We haven’t experienced being a defending champion. The break we have before the finals should help us prepare for that and go through the details,” he said.
The best-of-three UAAP Finals series commences on Dec. 1.
