MANILA, Philippines – How do you stop a team from sweeping its way into the Finals?

National University (NU) will try to provide an answer as it goes up against the sweep-seeking Ateneo de Manila University on Tuesday for its last assignment heading into the play-offs of the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

The defending champion Eaglets are vying for a perfect 14-0 mark that would earn them an outright Finals seat while the Bulldogs hope to lock their paws on the No. 2 spot plus the all-important twice-to-beat bonus with a much-needed win over Ateneo in the 2:45 p.m. main game.

A victory by the Eaglets will set the step-ladder format where the 3rd and 4th ranked teams battle it out in a do-or-die contest for the right to face the No. 2 squad armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

But an upset by the Bulldogs of the heavily favored Eaglets moves the semis back to its usual 1-4, 2-3 pairing with the Top 2 finishers getting twice-to-beat incentives.

An NU loss, however, will give third-running University of Santo Tomas (UST) the chance to dispute the No. 2 spot with the Bulldogs if the Tigers dispose Adamson University on Thursday. If this scenario pushes through, NU and UST will carry similar 10-4 records.  

Ravena vs Estoce

Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, and Paolo Romero are again expected to lead the Eaglets, who handily beat the Bulldogs, 82-64, in their first meeting on July 27.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, will lean on main man Roque Estoce, Rap Atangan, Ralph Tansingco, and Jonel Parungao, among others to neutralize the Eaglets’ vaunted 1-2-2 pressure defense and set the offensive tempo early on.

Yet that is easier said than done as the Eaglets also enjoy a deeper bench against the Bulldogs, who utilize a shoe-string rotation loaded with rookies. Size-wise, Ateneo has the edge but NU is more hustle-oriented.

Offering an interesting sidelight will be the match-up of Ravena and Estoce, who currently place second and third respectively in the MVP race.

Ravena dished out another marquee performance for Ateneo in their last game, tallying 20 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals to help the Eaglets demolish FEU, 78-54.

Hounded by the Junior Archers’ tight defense, Estoce wound up with only 7 points in NU’s 45-43 nipping of La Salle, but had 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and a block to boot.

Zobel-FERN in crucial match

In the opening match, De La Salle Zobel will try to formalize its entry into the Final Four by booting 5th placer Far Eastern University (FEU)-FERN out of its path at 1 p.m.

Currently holding a 7-6 ledger, the Junior Archers target the last semis ticket against the Baby Tamaraws who are just breathing down their necks at 6-7.

A La Salle victory completes the Final Four cast with the Junior Archers rounding up the eliminations at 8-6.

But an FEU triumph forces the Baby Tamaraws to tie La Salle at 7-7, arranging a winner-take-all in the process.

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