Action between Ateneo and Adamson in the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on September 22, 2024.  UAAP Media/File

Ateneo Blue Eagles battle against Adamson Falcons during the UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 22, 2024.  UAAP Media

UAAP Season 87

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173227305675720240922-uaaps87-mb-admu-adu-John-Calisay-2137.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Action between Ateneo and Adamson in the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men&#x27;s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on September 22, 2024.  UAAP Media/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Action between Ateneo and Adamson in the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men&#x27;s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on September 22, 2024.  <em>UAAP Media/File</em></span></span></span>MANILA -- Ateneo de Manila University will try to play the spoiler&#x27;s role as Adamson University looks to keep alive its Final 4 chances in the UAAP Season 87 men&#x27;s basketball tournament on Saturday.</div><p>Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, in the lone men&#x27;s basketball game of the day.</p><p>The Blue Eagles enter with a 4-9 win-loss record and on the heels of a long break, having dealt University of the East a blow when they held on for a 71-67 win last November 13.</p><p>That result gave life to the Soaring Falcons (5-8), who must now beat Ateneo to tie the Red Warriors&#x27; record and force a playoff for a spot in the Final 4. However, a loss to the Blue Eagles will eliminate Adamson from the Final 4 race for the fifth season in a row.</p><p>&quot;I always have a soft spot for our opponents and our competitors. Jack (Santiago) is a great guy and he&#x27;s had a great year this year. They came under a rough patch this second half of the season. They surprised everybody this year with the quality of basketball they played and how they played it. I think they are a deserving playoff team,&quot; Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/13/uaap-ateneo-fends-off-momowei-less-ue-to-snap-3-game-skid-2046">READ: Ateneo fends off Momowei-less UE to snap 3-game skid</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/15/kiefer-on-ateneo-s-disappointing-s87-campaign-this-will-make-them-hungrier-1652">READ: Kiefer Ravena on Ateneo&#x27;s disappointing Season 87 campaign -- &#x27;This will make them hungrier&#x27;</a></div><p>The Red Warriors will be hoping that Ateneo pulls off the win. They are currently mired in a second half slump, having lost five of their last six games after an impressive 5-2 start.</p><p>Ateneo has derailed Adamson&#x27;s Final Four aspirations in the last two seasons.</p><p>The Blue Eagles drubbed the Falcons, 70-48, in the do-or-die playoff last year, ending Jerom Lastimosa&#x27;s final UAAP season on a sad note.</p><p>With nothing to play but the No. 1 ranking late in 2022, Ateneo still played with a lot of pride, dragging Adamson to a sudden death match with La Salle for No. 4 following a 66-61 victory. The Green Archers then eliminated the Falcons in the playoff, 80-76.</p><p>&quot;You respect your opponent and you respect yourself and you can only do that if you go out and give it your best shot every game. That&#x27;s what we did today, and that&#x27;s what you can expect from us in the final game against Adamson,&quot; said Baldwin.</p><p>The Blue Eagles hope to force a four-way tie from fifth to eighth spots at 5-9, making the first time in the Final Four era that no bottom team will end up with double-digit losses.</p><p>Far Eastern University and National University, with similar 5-9 records, ended their seasons with victories which Ateneo hopes to duplicate.</p><p>The Green Archers, the defending champions who topped the eliminations with a 12-2 record, will play the No. 4 team in the Final Four armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.</p><p>Second-ranked University of the Philippines (11-3), which also has a twice-to-beat bonus, and No. 3 University of Santo Tomas (7-7) in the other half of the Final Four.</p><p>In the women&#x27;s division, the Lady Bulldogs gun for an outright Finals berth via 14-game sweep as they play the Lady Tamaraws at 8 a.m.</p><p>The back-to-back title seeking Tigresses, who are assured of a No. 2 ranking in the step-ladder or traditional Final Four format, take on the Lady Archers at 10 a.m.</p><p>In a potential step-ladder preview at 12 noon, the Lady Falcons and the Blue Eagles clash with final semifinals placings at stake.</p><p>The Fighting Maroons and the Lady Warriors collide in a battle of also-rans at 2 p.m. to wrap up the women&#x27;s action.</p><div><strong>R</strong><strong>ELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xHEA5KLgtho?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/crqqQHutoH8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Ateneo de Manila University will try to play the spoiler's role as Adamson University looks to keep alive its Final 4 chances in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament on Saturday.</p>

Ateneo de Manila University will try to play the spoiler's role as Adamson University looks to keep alive its Final 4 chances in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament on Saturday.

UAAP: Ateneo looks to end Adamson's Final 4 aspirations | ABS-CBN

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UAAP: Ateneo looks to end Adamson's Final 4 aspirations

UAAP: Ateneo looks to end Adamson's Final 4 aspirations

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Published Nov 23, 2024 06:15 AM PHT

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