Games Thursday (Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. – UST vs NU
4 p.m. – La Salle vs Adamson

Manila, Philippines — Expect a see-saw battle between Final Four teams Adamson and La Salle as they duke it out for the No. 3 spot this Thursday in the penultimate day of the 73rd UAAP basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Falcons and the Green Archers are locked in a tie for third with identical 8-5 slates but expect a major showdown for the third spot when they duel it out in the second game at 4 p.m.

Meeting in the first game are eliminated teams National University (6-7) and University of Santo Tomas (4-9) at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs seek to finish with an even 7-7 card for the first time since 2001, the last time they made the semis.

Adamson and La Salle are coming off heartbreaking losses at the expense of cellar-dwelling teams last Saturday that ultimately denied them of a chance to nail a twice-to-beat incentive.

A defensive lapse allowed the Bulldogs to score a stunning 62-59 win over the Falcons behind a game-winning triple by Jewel Ponferrada in the dying seconds while University of the East’s Paul Lee and Raffy Reyes trounced La Salle, 80-74, on the same day.

Both losses allowed three-peat seeking Ateneo to gain the last Final Four bonus after pulling off an 81-77 escape act past UST a day later.

After winning seven of its first nine games, Adamson dropped three of its last four games to put the Falcons in sheer danger of falling behind the No. 4 spot and a semis duel with either Far Eastern University and Ateneo.