Eagles try to nail No. 2 vs Falcons

MANILA, Philippines – Amid mounting expectations fuelled by a string of massive triumphs, Ateneo seeks to keep on soaring as it guns for the second seeding in the Final Four today against Adamson in the UAAP LXXIX men’s basketball tourney at the MOA Arena.

The Blue Eagles (9-4) found themselves in a good position to clinch the second twice-to-beat incentive in the semis after winning their last five outings, including back-to-back romps over heavyweights La Salle and Far Eastern.

One more victory in the 4 p.m. duel against the surging Falcons (8-5) and the Eagles clinch the No. 2 outright and enjoy the win-once privilege against the third-ranked team in the F4.

“I think we understand that expectations have began to escalate a bit for this team. It’s a bit unfair but that’s life, that’s the way it is. It’s up to us to live to that expectations but more importantly we have to live up to our own expectations,” said AdMU coach Tab Baldwin.

The Eagles want to avoid the complications of having to go through a playoff for the No. 2.

The Falcons, who are on a four-game run, can draw level with a win today and then defending champion Far Eastern (8-5) can make it a three-way tie if it beats also-ran University of the East (3-10) in the 2 p.m. opener.

If AdU wins over AdMU by less than 31 points, the Eagles and the Falcons will slug it out for No. 2 before playing their F4 duel. If AdU beats AdMU by more than 31 points, it will be the Tams and the Falcons in a virtual best-of-three for a finals berth and the Eagles will get relegated to No. 4 against top-seeded La Salle (F4) in the semis.

“We put ourselves in a position where we can get a twice-to-beat so we have to forget everything else and put everything in that game and see where that takes us,” said Baldwin.