Maroons bent on getting back at Blue Eagles

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons are looking to settle the score with tormentors Ateneo Blue Eagles when the two teams face anew this weekend.

Ateneo dealt UP its first loss in UAAP Season 86 hoops last Sunday, 99-89, in overtime.

Following the Maroons’ dominant win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Wednesday night, they are setting their sights on a revenge game over their Katipunan rivals.

“Coming from a loss, that’s really tough. But, [Ateneo is] coming for us, and we’re coming for them,” Fighting Maroon Francis Lopez told reporters after UP’s 77-51 win over Adamson.

“We just have to be more prepared about it because in our first game we lost against them. We’re just ready for whatever happens. I think we just have to prepare physically and mentally for the game on Sunday,” he added.

Guard Janjan Felicilda said that they will just be ready for whatever comes.

“We just want to get back at them,” Felicilda, who scored seven points, dished out seven assists and hauled down five rebounds against Adamson, told reporters in Filipino. 

For his part, UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said that they have a lot of things to fix ahead of the Ateneo game.

“We’re gonna prepare, and I’m sure, they will, also. It is going to be a tough game for sure… Should be a good one, as long as players come to play.” 

The second Battle of Katipunan this season will be on at 6 p.m. Sunday, October 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. 

UP is currently on top of the standings with a 7-1 win-loss record, compared to Ateneo’s 4-4.

The defending champions Blue Eagles, meanwhile, lost in their first game of the second round on Wednesday against the FEU Tamaraws.

Meanwhile, Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin said they will take the Battle of Katipunan as “another game that we gotta play to win.”

“We’re sitting at 4-4 now. We can’t afford to be dropping games, not if we want to be in the top four at the end of the season. Losing today makes it tougher,” Baldwin told reporters in a separate interview. 

“I’m not gonna make more out of the game. I’m sure everybody else wants us to make more out of it. I’m sure you guys wanna make more out of it, but it’s just another