Game on Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
3:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs UST

Defending champion Ateneo goes for a return trip to the Finals when it takes on underdog University of Santo Tomas on Sunday in the other Final Four pairing of the 72nd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

With a 13-1 record after the double-round eliminations, the Blue Eagles claimed the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive season and need only to win on Sunday to make The Finals with their twice-to-beat incentive.

It will be the third time in the last four seasons that both teams will meet in the postseason. UST stunned Ateneo in 2006 to win the championship before the Eagles exacted revenge a year later in the stepladder phase.

The Eagles, however, may miss the services of sophomore forward Nico Salva, who was assessed a disqualifying foul for hitting Tamaraw Jens Knuttel in the third period of their 74-73 win over Far Eastern University on September 12.

Salva’s fate is being deliberated by the UAAP technical committee at presstime on Saturday.

In case he is suspended for one game, Ateneo still remains a formidable squad with 2008 MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Eric Salamat, Jai Reyes, and Nonoy Baclao in the forefront.

“I think it will be easy for me to get the player’s focus because they know the next step is the finals already,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, who is seeking his third finals appearance in five seasons with the team.

UST barely made it to the Final Four with its 6-8 record. But all season long, the team was led by its top scorer Dylan Ababou, who will be named the league’s Most Valuable Player.

However, momentum is currently not the Tigers’ side after losing their last three games.

Going for the Eagles are their two victories over the Tigers in the elimination round - 93-77 on July 19 and 80-70 on August 23.