There’s no slowing down for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Though they have already secured the first twice-to-beat bonus in the UAAP Final Four, Ateneo head coach Norman Black is not letting him team relax even with just two games left in the preliminaries.

For Black, winning the No. 1 spot in the Final Four is the most important and not just making it to the semis. If they emerge No. 1, the Eagles will have the luxury of facing the No. 4 team.

So Black declared that their last two games are both “must-win games.”

"It's too late into the season already for us to have a letdown and to take it easy," said Black. "Based on our experience in the past, it's very important for us that we gain confidence and momentum going into the Final Four so we'll approach our last two games as must-win situations."

The Loyola-based cagers battle University of the Philippines on Sunday then play second-placer Far Eastern University on the last day of the elimination round on Sept. 12 in a potential clash for the top spot in the semis.

FEU, a preseason favorite to dethrone Ateneo for the crown, claimed the second Final Four berth last Saturday and currently holds a second best record of 10-2. One of its two losses came at the hands of the Blue Eagles – a 63-59 setback last July 12.

But before setting its sights on the Tamaraws, the Eagles have an axe to grind against the Maroons.

It was the Maroons who handed the Eagles their first defeat of the season, and that haunts every member of the squad, especially Black.

"Out of respect for UP, our focus right now is on them because we lost to them during the first round. We'll worry on FEU when we get there," said Black.

A heavy underdog in the contest, UP pulled off the biggest shocker by downing Ateneo, 68-58.

"That will not be a very difficult game for us to be motivated for. We're very motivated for that game," Black said.

In beating the Falcons, 61-52, Ateneo had to erase an 11-point second quarter before pulling away in the payoff period behind reigning MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Eric Salamat, who had 19 and 17 points, apiece.

The win extended the Eagles' mastery over Adamson to 25 consecutive games.

"We really expected it to be a tough game. I really believed that Adamson is a much better team than their record states," said Black.

The loss ended Adamson’s hopes of making it to the semis.