LA Salle immediately gets a chance to correct the only thing that went wrong in its first round campaign.
The defending champions will have a shot at redemption to open the second round against University of the East, the Green Archers’ lone tormentor, when the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament resumes play next weekend at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Though the league has yet to release an official schedule, the templated pairings for the first four games will pit the no. 1-ranked team against no. 3.
And with that, La Salle and UE instantly drew each other after the first round came to a close.
The Taft side claimed the top seed after stopping rival University of the Philippines, 68-56, on Sunday. This win leveled the two teams’ record to 6-1, but by virtue of the win-over-the-other rule, La Salle will be at no. 1 over UP.
On the other hand, UE, easily the first round’s biggest surprise, occupied the no. 3 spot with its 5-2 record and will try to replicate its success after pulling off the 75-71 stunner over the Green Archers last Sept. 22.
READ: UE pulls off shocker against defending champion La Salle
Meanwhile, no. 2 UP collides against no. 4 University of Santo Tomas (4-3), with the Fighting Maroons seeking to put behind this first blemish as they attempt to mirror their 81-70 win over the Growling Tigers last Oct. 2.
No. 5 Adamson (3-4) will also revisit its opening day matchup against no. 7 Far Eastern University (1-6) as the Soaring Falcons look to repeat its 59-47 win against the Tamaraws.
No. 6 National University (2-5) will also have a quick rematch against no. 8 Ateneo (1-6) after the two teams closed out their first round assignments against each other. The Bulldogs pulled off the 78-68 conquest past the Blue Eagles on Saturday.
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