UP shocks Ateneo, spoils sweep bid

UP pulled off the biggest upset of the season as the Fighting Maroons spoiled the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ sweep bid with an 84-83 shocker on the last day of the UAAP men’s basketball eliminations on Sunday, May 1. 

The Maroons – who wrapped up the eliminations with a second-best 12-2 record – stormed to an explosive start, leading by as many as 18 points before fending off the Blue Eagles’ second-half run.

With the win, the Maroons also set the stage for a Final Four round as an Ateneo sweep would have propelled the defending champions straight to the finals anew.

The Blue Eagles, who absorbed their first loss since 2018, will still head to the semifinals as the top seed with a 13-1 record. 

(READ: UP slays mighty Ateneo, ends 4-year, 39-game win streak)

Game results

La Salle eliminates NU

La Salle dashed NU’s hopes to stay in Final Four contention as the Green Archers eliminated the Bulldogs, 76-65, on the last day of the UAAP men’s basketball eliminations on Sunday, May 1.  

With the NU loss, FEU (7-7) clinched the No. 4 spot to complete the semifinal cast. The Bulldogs bowed out with a 6-8 card, tied at fifth with the Adamson Falcons. 

The Archers, who pulled off the win despite playing minus injured stars Justine Baltazar and Schonny Winston, finished their elimination run with a third-best 9-5 record.

(READ: La Salle eliminates NU from Final Four race sans Baltazar, Winston)

FEU shores up Final Four bid

FEU inched closer to claiming a Final Four berth as the Tamaraws blasted the UST Growling Tigers, 109-65, on the last day of the UAAP men’s basketball eliminations on Sunday, May 1. 

The Tamaraws wrapped up their elimination run at 7-7 to provisionally claim the solo fourth spot. The all-important victory also eliminated the Adamson Falcons (6-8).

FEU will claim the last semifinal seat if the NU Bulldogs (6-7) lose against the La Salle Green Archers later in the day. A Bulldogs win, though, will forge an FEU-NU playoff.

UST bowed out with a 3-11 record. 

(READ: FEU demolishes UST to inch closer to Final Four berth)

Adamson plays waiting game

Adamson got the job done to keep its Final Four hopes alive as the Falcons hacked out a 65-53 triumph over the UE Red Warriors on the last day of the UAAP men’s basketball eliminations on Sunday, May 1. 

But the Falcons’ fate rely on the next two games as they need both the FEU Tamaraws and the NU Bulldogs – who are tied at fourth at 6-7 – to lose in the next two games to stay in the semifinal race.

Adamson ended its elimination run with a 6-8 record, while UE suffered a winless season. 

(READ: Adamson holds off UE, plays waiting game) 

Preview

The last Final Four berth for the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament remains up for grabs as the league draws the curtains on the elimination round on Sunday, May 1.

Adamson (5-8) vs UE (0-13)

The prospect of reaching the Final Four is on the line for Adamson as it faces hapless UE in their final elimination round game at 10 am.

Jerom Lastimosa and the Soaring Falcons need a win to at least have a chance of tying FEU and NU, which tote identical 6-7 records, for the fourth and last semifinals spot.

The Red Warriors, though, are determined to end a forgettable season on a high note as they look to drag Adamson with them on an early vacation.

FEU (6-7) vs UST (3-10)

The blurry Final Four picture will be made clearer following the result of the 12:30 pm clash between FEU and also-ran UST.

A win by the Tamaraws will eliminate Adamson from Final Four contention and make it a two-way joust between FEU and NU, while a loss will keep the race for the last semifinals berth wide open for the Falcons and Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, the Growling Tigers eye to finish the season strong as they try to snap a five-game skid and enter next season on the right foot.

NU (6-7) vs La Salle (8-5)

Riding on a two-game winning streak, NU aims to bolster its Final Four bid with a third straight victory in its 4:30 pm battle against La Salle.

The result of the Bulldogs’ game will determine which team will advance directly to the Final Four or which teams will vie for the last semifinals seat.

If Adamson loses and FEU and NU both post wins, the Tamaraws and the Bulldogs will tangle in a one-game playoff for No. 4 spot.

A Falcons win and losses by FEU and NU, meanwhile, will forge a three-way tie at 6-8 and create a stepladder duel for the remaining Final Four berth.

In case of a triple tie, Adamson gets a bye by virtue of a superior quotient (+5) and will face the winner between the Bulldogs (-2) and the Tamaraws (-3).

To clinch an outright Final Four berth, NU needs both Adamson and FEU to drop their Sunday matches. The same goes with the Tamaraws, who bank on the possibility of the Falcons and Bulldogs losing.

Not much is at stake for the Green Archers, who are already guaranteed of the No. 3 seed, except the momentum of going into the Final Four on the winning track.

Ateneo (13-0) vs UP (11-2)

An eventful day will conclude in style as Ateneo and UP – the top two teams in the UAAP – lock horns at 7 pm in a preview of a potential finals matchup.

Tab Baldwin and the Blue Eagles seek to complete a 14-0 sweep of the elimination round and clinch an outright finals berth, an event that will set up a stepladder Final Four.

Ateneo also looks to stretch its improbable winning streak dating back to October 2018 to 40 consecutive games.

On the other hand, the Fighting Maroons are bent on proving that the Blue Eagles are not invincible in their attempt to beat Ateneo for the first time since Season 79.

– Rappler.com