"I am very positive about this despite the loss," said Banal just before he presided over a two-hour workout yesterday. "That was not the real Far Eastern team out there in Game One. Hindi kami iyong naglaro."

"Even my players said moments after Game One that we can do better," said Banal, whose team remains the favorite going into tomorrow’s Game Two at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We were just rusty," said Banal, who is confident a fight for all the marbles will take place on Thursday.

"The long rest backfired in our case," said Banal, who Tams made it to the championship after a trouble-free conquest of the University of the East Red Warriors last week.

While La Salle looked deadly in its taming of the Tamaraws, Banal said his team still managed to play excellent defense on top Archer, Mark Cardona, who despite a solid performance, was accounted for eight turnovers of his team’s total of 29.

"Although we lost, La Salle was held to just 58 points and that’s good because La Salle normally hit 70 or more," said Banal added.

Meanwhile, the UAAP board is expected to meet at 2 p.m. today to discuss if the one-game suspension on Archer guard Ryan Arana will be imposed in Game Two. Arana was called a flagrant foul in the third quarter against Dennis Miranda. It turned out to be Arana’s second flagrant foul in the season following the first which was called on July 29 against Santo Tomas.

Pumaren said "there was no intention to hurt" on Arana’s part.

"Sumabit lang naman yung braso," said Pumaren.

Commissioner Ato Badolato has recommended that Arana be allowed to play in Game Two.

The UAAP technical committee is headed by Kiko Diaz of UP, while the members are Ramoncito Campos of La Salle, Bren Perez of UP, Ricardo Matibag of Adamson and Sonny Paguia of National U.