Fresh off a hard-fought victory, reigning UAAP men’s basketball champions, De La Salle University, are looking to secure their second win of the season as they face the formidable Adamson Falcons on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. The matchup is part of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, with tip-off set for 4:30 p.m. Both teams are eyeing consecutive victories.
De La Salle’s Green Archers, led by Kevin Quiambao’s heroic performance, narrowly edged out National University in their season opener last Sunday. On the other hand, Adamson’s Soaring Falcons bounced back from a slow start to defeat Far Eastern University, showcasing their resilience.
“We made a decision last season to win the championship, and now we have the responsibility of carrying it on our shoulders,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson. “But we’ve removed the word ‘defending’ from our vocabulary this season. Every team has a chance to win the title, and we’re focused on how our courage, trust, and love for each other will carry us through the season,” he added.
Meanwhile, Adamson head coach Nash Racela acknowledged the challenges of adapting to the new season. “We had a bad start, but as I’ve said before, I really didn’t know what to expect when the game began,” Racela commented. “It’s up to the players to win games. They have a lot of freedom, but they also carry the responsibility that comes with it,” he explained.
In another men’s basketball matchup, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers will face Ateneo de Manila University at 6:30 p.m., also aiming for their second win of the season. UST delivered an impressive 70-55 victory over the University of the East, with standout performances from Mali’s Mo Tounkara and transfer student Forthsky Padrigao.
Padrigao will be playing against his former team, Ateneo, for the first time since helping them secure the UAAP Season 85 championship before transferring to UST. UST head coach Pido Jarencio expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance, saying, “I’m happy with how we played in the first game. This was a breakthrough win for us. I told the team that winning this game would boost our confidence.”
Ateneo, meanwhile, opened their season with a 61-77 loss to the University of the Philippines last Saturday and will look to bounce back. However, veteran guard Chris Koon’s availability remains uncertain after he sprained his ankle late in the first half against UP.
In the women’s division, UST aims for a second consecutive win as they face Ateneo at 11:30 a.m., while Adamson looks to maintain a perfect record at 2-0 in their 1:30 p.m. clash against De La Salle.
Additionally, the juniors division will feature De La Salle-Zobel vs. Adamson at 8 a.m., followed by UST vs. Ateneo at 9:45 a.m.
