MANILA – It will be a battle of two different tales when unbeaten teams Ateneo Blue Eagles and University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers dispute for the early solo leadership in the main game of Sunday’s 72nd University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball double-header at the PhilSports Arena.

On one side are the defending champions, the Blue Eagles, heavily favored after beating the next two strongest challengers for the crown.

In the other corner are the heavy underdogs, the Growling Tigers, winners of their first two games against “weaker” challengers.

The intriguing plot mirrors their most recent UAAP Finals, where both teams fought tooth-and-nail. UST prevailed over Ateneo in the 2006 finals.

The plot remains the same but this time, the fortunes have been reversed.

Ateneo boasts of the best center in the league in reigning Most Valuable Player Rabeh Al-Hussaini while UST has the best wingman in Dylan Ababou.  

In 2006, UST had Jervy Cruz in the middle while Ateneo had JC Intal in the wings in the dramatic 2006 season finale.

Ateneo coach Norman Black downplayed such match-up as just another game towards a run to winning back-to-back titles. “We don’t dwell on the past,” was the blunt reply of Black.

He likened the present UST team to the University of the East (UE) Red Warrios, which his team blew out in their last game.

“We’ll prepare on this game much like we prepared against UE.  These guys (from UST) love to run and shoot everywhere on the court,” said Black.

UST Coach Pido Jarencio, meantime, who won over Black in his rookie season as a head coach in the 2006 season, billed the game as the match-up of the best team against the best underdog team.

“Nasa kanila ang best center, best point guard, lahat na except the ‘three’ spot,” said Jarencio referring to Ababou, who just exploded with a career-high 30 points against NU. Alder T. Almo

For more UAAP news, visit www.uaapsports.com