BY the end of the third gameday of the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament, only one unbeaten side will stand tall atop the league table.
After ruling its Final Four knockout match in Season 85, the Maroons look to fend the Bulldogs in their first meeting of the new season.
Strong start for State U
Last year's runner-up University of the Philippines came out swinging with its stacked rookie class blending seamlessly with the Maroons' veteran core.
Picking up two dominant victories in as many games by an average winning margin of 16 points is strongly indicative of the team's red-hot form coming in to the new season.
And in both winning displays over Adamson and UE, returning senior CJ Cansino has been unstoppable from range alongside reigning league MVP Malick Diouf.
Averaging 18 points on 55% shooting in UP's first two wins, Cansino attributed his fine start to his teammates' trust in him even after a year-long layoff from a right knee injury.
“Siguro ‘yung sa tiwala ng teammates ko, kapag tumitira ako kahit sablay, nandun sila palagi para sabihin na, ‘Tira lang, papasok din ‘yan. Yun ‘yung nagbigay sa ’kin ng confidence na kahit ‘yung ibang (tira) ‘di pumapasok, gagawin ko pa rin role ko," Cansino said.
Meanwhile, the reigning MVP continues to register MVP numbers with a remarkable two-game statline of 19.5 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks.
But for the Senegalese ace, defending the league's top individual plum is the least of his priorities.
"I’m not here for individual awards. I just wanna play. I’m just here to play and help my team. And everybody (in the league) wants to improve so (the MVP award) is a bonus," Diouf said.
National U's 'slow, lucky' start
Albeit emerging title contenders with two early wins over Ateneo and FEU, Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa is far from satisfied with how his team has performed to kickstart the season.
From a dream start in knocking down the defending champions, Napa vented his ire on what he believes was a dismal showing even after taking down the Tamaraws.
"We’re lucky enough to get this W because we played a really bad game. FEU’s a dangerous team, ’yun lagi ‘yung sinasabi ko sa kanila few days ago. Lucky for us that we got the W although we really played bad talaga so ‘yun ‘yung i-eemphasize ko coming to our practice (for UP),” Napa said.
"Kaya the past two days, galit na galit ako sa kanila talaga kasi this is not the way we should approach our games. But despite our bad game, pinakita ng mga bata ‘yung willingness at ‘yung maturity to commit themselves to get that W," he added.
But for NU's ace playmaker Kean Baclaan, with a near triple-double two-game output of 9.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, his confidence with the team and in himself are both through the roof whoever stands their way.
"Feel ko pa lang paggising ko kaninang umaga, mananalo na kami. Ganun ‘yung kumpyansa na binibigay sa’min ni Coach Jeff (Napa). Kaya papunta dito sa game, hindi namin (inisip) na defending champions sila. Ibang season na ‘to eh, Season 86 na ‘to," Baclaan said after the win over Ateneo.
At the end of the day, in Napa's own words, UP versus NU 'will be a really good battle.'
"It will be a really good battle and we have to perform our best against UP talaga. That’s why in-emphasize ko sa kanila na hindi pwedeng maging ‘slow slow.’ We have to be consistent in what we’re doing," Napa said.
The league's last two unscathed sides will go head-to-head on Saturday, 1 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Moreover, also taking center stage in the UAAP's Big Dome debut for Season 86 are Ateneo versus Adamson in another Final Four rematch (10 a.m.), La Salle versus UST (3 p.m.), and FEU versus UE (5 p.m.).
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