Matches on Wednesday
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
8 a.m. – UPIS vs UE (JHS)
10 a.m. – FEU-D vs NUNS (JHS)
12 noon – DLSZ vs Ateneo (JHS)
2 p.m. – UST vs AdU (JHS)
5:30 p.m. – UP vs UE (Men)
UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) aims for the final semifinal position against University of the Philippines (UP) in the second-to-last game day of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball this Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The match is set for 5:30 p.m. with the Warriors looking to break a 15-year dry spell and wanting to ensure a straightforward path for the final Final Four slot while the Adamson Soaring Falcons are keeping an eye from the fifth position.
The struggling UE team, currently on a four-game losing streak, holds a 6-7 record and could achieve the critical seven victories with a win against UP (10-3), who is already qualified for the Final Four and secured a twice-to-beat advantage as the No. 2 seed.
A victory for the Warriors would eliminate the Falcons (5-8) from the race, irrespective of the outcome of their last game on Saturday against the underperforming Ateneo (4-9), and would propel them into the Final Four for the first time since the legendary Paul Lee’s era in 2009.
If not, UE may face a playoff with Adamson to finalize the situation, while UP intends to not disrupt anything but rather prepare for a Final Four clash against the significantly improved Santo Tomas.
Santo Tomas managed to avoid any issues over the weekend, concluding with a 7-7 record after a 75-49 triumph over Adamson, while UE suffered a damaging defeat against Ateneo de Manila University, 71-67, thereby losing out on an automatic qualification.
Fortunately for the Warriors under coach Jack Santiago, they will reinstate prized player Precious Momowei after a one-game ban resulting from two unsportsmanlike fouls and an ejection in a 76-67 defeat against Santo Tomas. — John Bryan Ulanday
