FOR some reason, La Salle has been very lucky when it comes to scheduling.
In the last two playdates that have been rescheduled due to venue availability and inclement weather, the defending champions have not been affected, allowing them to stay in their groove.
"It is what it is. Maswerte siguro, and it's good for us in a way because it will not affect our preparations. But eventually you'll still play these games whether you're unaffected or had games postponed," said coach Topex Robinson.
Even if the Green Archers are the first team to book their ticket to the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball Final Four, the mentor reminded his boys to not fall into the traps of complacency even more with rival and resurgent Ateneo next on their schedule this Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
"La Salle-Ateneo, it will never change," Robinson said of the 6:30 p.m. rivalry game. "Wherever you are now and what’s your standing, you just forget everything because it’s gonna be Ateneo."
La Salle doesn't need to be lucky with how much effort it has put in to get to 9-1.
The 1-2 punch of Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips has been a knockout for the Taft side all season long, enabling players like Joshua David and CJ Austria to play exceptionally well in their 70-45 rout of Adamson last Saturday.
But Robinson remains wary, especially with the Blue Eagles stringing two straight wins to fan life back into their playoff hopes and rise to 3-6 after a 67-64 road heist against University of Santo Tomas.
"We know they’re also coming off a good run. Their guys are really picking up the system, and there’s always gonna be excitement. You play one of the best programs and there’s so much history in this and we’re just grateful to be a part of it. So more than anything else, we’re so excited to play our worthy rivals," he said.
Ateneo shot-caller Tab Baldwin, on the other hand, does not want to fall into the chatter of any rivalry game.
Though he's glad to conjure some victories in the second round, the process of fasttracking the young Katipunan side's growth continues.
"It does take some of the pressure off, it does relieve things a bit, but we're really trying to mature a lot of younger players, a lot of players that lack significant experience. This group of guys had to replace a lot of players that were expected to be here this season, so it has to be about their growth," he said.
UE, NU figure in crucial contest
Meanwhile, University of the East dusts up its sneakers after a two week-layoff when it plays a recharged National University at 2 p.m.
The Red Warriors did not anticipate such a long break after their 77-68 defeat to La Salle last Sept. 12, but coach Jack Santiago is sticking to the positives, as the team utilized the lull to recover from their injuries in the hopes of improving on their 5-3 card.
The Bulldogs, on the flipside, are much in the same boat with coach Jeff Napa hopeful that the time off they had - last playing on Oct. 16 in a 65-58 loss to Far Eastern University - would aid the Jhocson side in getting back to their groove.
As they sit at the bottom of the ladder at 2-7, with all of National U's assignments are basically must-win games if it still wants to have a puncher's chance of making it to the semifinals.
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