THERE is only one Final Four slot remaining in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament and University of the East (UE) can claim it today and put an end to its 15-year semifinal drought.
The Red Warriors (6-7) seek to complete the semis cast with a victory against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons (10-3) at the FilOil EcoOil Centre at 5:30 p.m.
UP is already in the Final Four as the number two seed along with league-leader De La Salle University (12-2) and University of Santo Tomas (7-7).
The last time UE made the Final Four is Season 72 in 2009 when the Red Warriors also reached the Finals but lost to the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
A victory by UE would also slam the door on the Adamson Soaring Falcons (5-8), the only other team still in contention for a semis berth.
Adamson's only chance to advance is for UE to lose against UP and forge a playoffs for last Final Four berth with a victory against the Ateneo Blue Eagles (4-9) in the final day of eliminations on Nov. 23.
After a 5-2 start in the first round, UE sputtered in the second round and lost four straight games, including a 67-76 setback against UST on Nov. 9.
Winning against the Maroons will not be easy for the Red Warriors.
Even though UP has nothing to gain or lose in this game, the Fighting Maroons would not want to enter the semis on a losing note.
The Fighting Maroons lost back-to-back games but they found their mojo back with an convincing 86-78 win over the Tamaraws last Saturday.
"We will always prepare for it in the best way that we could and when it comes to that day when we fight UE, we would always demand from ourselves to give it our all at both ends," said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
"After UE, we're going to enter the Final Four so in a way these past two games (including FEU) will help our preparation for it."
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Game on Wednesday (FilOil EcoOil Center): 5:30 p.m. UE vs UP
Team standings: La Salle (12-2); UP (10-3); UST (7-7); UE (6-7); Adamson (5-8); FEU (5-9); NU (5-9); Ateneo (4-9)