FOR the first time since 1992, there will be neither Ateneo nor La Salle in the finals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball.
National University (NU) and Far Eastern University (FEU) this time will take the limelight of the centerpiece event in the UAAP.
And Tamaraws Head Coach Nash Racela described it as “the best thing that happened in the UAAP.”
“I realized last year lang that Ateneo and La Salle has always been in the finals since 1993. I think this is the best thing that has happened to the UAAP having FEU and NU in the finals,” said Racela moments after dethroning the Green Archers, 67-64, on Mac Belo’s buzzer-beating corner trey.
Of course, there was no championship series in 1993 as University of Santo Tomas won the title via sweep.
Prior to that Growling Tigers’ historic campaign, FEU and Adamson University clashed in the 1992 UAAP Finals won by the Tamaraws, led by Johnny Abarrientos, now one of Racela’s assistants.
Can NU and FEU provide the charisma and crowd that Ateneo and La Salle always bring on the table in the finals?
“Just like what we witnessed today [on Wednesday], I think that NU can bring the crowd and FEU can bring the crowd, so hindi lang naman Ateneo and De La Salle makakapagdala niyan,” Racela added.
And NU proved that in its last two Final Four games versus the top-seeded Blue Eagles.
The Henry Sy-owned squad completed its comeback with a 65-63 win to offset the twice-to-beat advantage of Ateneo in the Final Four round.
The Bulldogs of Head Coach Eric Altamirano are in the UAAP finals for the first time since 1970, where they lost the crown to University of the East. The last time NU hoisted the UAAP crown was in 1954, the school’s first and only title so far.
Playing in the finals is something new for Altamarino’s wards, making them underdogs in the best-of-three series that starts on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“If you based on win-loss record, yes we are [underdogs],” said Altamirano, whose team was the No. 1 seed last season but was ousted by the fourth-seeded Growling Tigers.
“But we’re just thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to redeem ourselves. After one season, we were able to redeem ourselves.”