Crucial second round of UAAP 87 in Big Dome
Play on Saturday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
10.00 am – AdU versus FEU (women)
12:00 – DLSU vs UE (women)
4 p.m. – AdU vs FEU (men)
6:00 PM – DLSU vs. UE
REIGNING CHAMPION and No. 1 seed De La Salle University (DLSU) gets a chance for revenge against the rampaging university of the East (UE), as Adamson University and Far Eastern University (FEU) clash to kick off the crucial second round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum this Saturday.
The UAAP took a short break on Wednesday to give teams much-needed time to recharge after the explosive first round that capped off with La Salle’s 68-56 win over former undefeated and host University of the Philippines in the rematch between the last year’s finalists.
With that as a stepping stone, the Green Archers are determined to continue the drive and exact revenge on the Warriors, who handed their only loss to date at 6-1.
UE, for its part, are confident of repeating this at La Salle after a 75-71 first-round victory that sparked a five-match winning run – the longest active streak in the competition – and the solo number got my hands on 3. 5-2.
Meanwhile, Adamson (3-4) and No. 7 FEU (1-6) will also compete on Saturday on the full second-round schedule released by the league on Wednesday.
The start of second-round action concludes with a Sunday twin bill featuring UP (6-1) against University of Santo Tomas (4-3) and Ateneo de Manila University (1-6) against National University (2- 5).
Other notable matches include La Salle-Ateneo on October 26 at the Mall of Asia Arena and Round 2 action between La Salle and UP on November 10 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Although La Salle and UP set the pace of the race with the vastly improved UE and Santo Tomas not far behind, the struggling teams below are expected to push for one last hurray as the teams here begin jockeying for the Final Four in the second phase -position. –John Bryan Ulanday