Blue Eagles look to bounce back today

Games today:

MOA Arena

2 p.m. – UP vs. DLSU

4 p.m. – FEU vs. Ateneo

THE REIGNING five-time champions Ateneo Blue Eagles try to get their bearings back when they face off against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament today at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

With Kiefer Ravena grounded due to a sprained ankle, the Blue Eagles were demolished by the National University Bulldogs in their opening game last Sunday, 54-64.

Ravena hobbled his way to just two points in eight minutes of play in the first half before eventually sitting out the rest of the game.

Ravena is expected to play once again today and lead a rag-tag bunch that is searching for its identity following the graduation of key players Nico Salva and Cebuano big man Greg Slaughter and the addition of new head coach Bo Perasol.

FEU, on the other hand, won its first game last Saturday, raising the eyebrows of many observers with an 89-78 win over the preseason champions University of the East Red Warriors.

The Tams’ explosive backcourt tandem of Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia shone in that game as the former scantily missed out on a triple-double with 23 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds while the latter chipped in 18 markers.

In the first game, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, after losing their first game to Adamson, 67-79, aim to bounce back against the La Salle Green Archers in the game scheduled at 2 p.m.

La Salle is on the same boat with UP as it lost, 58-63, to the University of Santo Tomas. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio