UAAP champion Ateneo and a determined Far Eastern University collide for the national crown Sunday in the third-and-final game of the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) title series at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. The Blue Eagles, who have not lost two straight games for about two years, kept their championship hopes alive Thursday when they scored an unforgiving 90-63 rout of the Tamaraws to force the deciding match.
The win came a day after the Morayta-based squad came back from a 14-point, first-half deficit and six heading into the final canto for a stunning 75-70 victory in the series opener. Game time is set at 3:30 p.m. with the winner not only getting the bragging rights as the country's best collegiate team but will also hold the Manny V. Pangilinan trophy. After days of speculation as to whether he will play or not, 6-foot-5 big man Nonoy Baclao will suit up in Sunday’s action after the ASEAN Basketball League's Philippine Patriots gave him permission to suit up for this all-important affair. The Patriots will face the Brunei Barracudas in Bandar Seri Begawan the same day the Eagles take on the Tamaraws. Although Ateneo will play without 6-foot-6 Rabeh Al-Hussaini because of his stint with the Smart Gilas national team, coach Norman Black is confident that his team can do the task even without him.
Norman Black
"We will show up with the players we had and try to give it our best shot in winning the championship," said Black, who hopes to lead Ateneo to a championship in three tournaments played this year and the first PCCL title since 2007. But FEU is out to spoil that plan and try to win a record third PCCL crown since it was launched in 2002. Coach Glenn Capacio is looking forward for RR Garcia to bounce back after a woeful 1-of-6 shooting from the floor. "
Kailangan lumabas ulit yung gutom at intensity
na pinakita namin sa Ateneo
nung Game 1
at sa mga nakalaban naming before the finals," said Capacio. Garcia had three straight 20-plus point games in this tournament, including a 22-point output against the Eagles in the opener. Capacio's troops have been the marvel of this year's tournament beating the likes of UAAP runner-up University of the East and NCAA champion San Sebastian to reach the finals for the fourth time overall.
– GMANews.TV 
GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
