Action between Ateneo and UE in the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament, October 2, 2024 at the Araneta Coliseum. UAAP MediaMANILA -- University of the East will have to overcome the absence of its star big man when it takes on Ateneo de Manila University in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament on Wednesday.

The Red Warriors will be without Precious Momowei against the Blue Eagles, as the Nigerian center was slapped with a one-game suspension after incurring two unsportsmanlike fouls in their loss to the University of Santo Tomas last Saturday.

READ: UE's Precious Momowei to serve 1-game suspension vs. Ateneo

"Hindi naman kami bago don sa ganon. Remember last season na we faced Ateneo without an FSA also. Ang maganda lang diyan sa nakita namin last Saturday is that we saw the other players stepping up. Hopefully, by next game, madala pa rin nila 'yon," said UE head coach Jack Santiago.

"Remember, nung hindi pa nato-thrown out si Precious, we went All-Filipino. So at least nakita natin kahit papaano na naka-recover yung team. 'Yon lang siguro yung medyo i-eembrace namin na we’re gonna practice on Monday without Precious muna just to be ready," he added.

The Red Warriors have hung on to the third spot in the league standings despite a shaky second round, where they have lost four of their last five assignments. At 6-6, they are half a game ahead of the Growling Tigers (6-7).

UE and UST are trying to fend off Adamson University (5-7) and Far Eastern University (5-8) in the chase for the last two Final Four slots.

National University (4-9) and Ateneo (3-9) are already eliminated in the Final Four race.

The Blue Eagles saw their streak of nine consecutive Final Four appearances came to an end after the Growling Tigers beat the Red Warriors last Saturday. Ateneo last missed the Final Four in 2013.

READ: UST escapes UE, adds to Red Warriors’ second-round woes

Defending champion De La Salle (12-1) and University of the Philippines (9-3) are assured of finishing at 1-2 at the end of elimination round and will hold twice-to-beat advantages in the Final Four.

The Green Archers, who will finish No. 1 in the elims for the first time since their 2016 championship run, play the Bulldogs in a warm-up to the Final Four at 12 noon.

NU, which lost Malian slotman Mo Diassana to a season-ending injury in a 75-78 opening weekend loss to La Salle, will miss the Final Four for the first time in four seasons. The Bulldogs had back-to-back third place finishes in the last two seasons.

In the lone women's match, NU seeks to hurdle one of remaining stumbling blocks to secure an outright passage to the Finals in an already-eliminated De La Salle at 12 noon. The Lady Bulldogs are undefeated in 12 games and have already clinched a twice-to-beat bonus in a Final Four format.

Opening the five-game playdate is a double-header in the junior high school basketball tournament, where University of Santo Tomas looks to retain its winning form against reigning champion National University Nazareth School at 8 a.m.

A win by the Bullpups would propel them to solo third place in the standings, while a victory for the Tiger Cubs would further strengthen their Final Four bid.

The other juniors’ match features De La Salle Zobel and a winless University of the Philippines side at 10 a.m.

The Junior Archers, who are coming off a slim 79-83 loss to the FEU-D Baby Tamaraws, look to return to the winning column and eliminate the Fighting Maroons from contention.