What's wrong with Franz ?

It looks like that the De La Salle University Green Archers coach Franz Pumaren don't know how to accept defeat.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles just crushed the Green Archers 62-51 in Game 2 of the UAAP Finals to capture the crown.

Now I think that he is sour graping and cannot accept that he had been defeated by his former teammate and coach, Norman Black.

He's saying that it was due to bad officiating that's why they lost in the Finals, well then, he should think again.

Man for Man, the Green Archers are simply no match against the Blue Eagles.

They don't have someone who can stop Rabeh Al Husaini. Before the Game 2 started, he's saying that the Archers are capable of coming back and now that they lost he's blaming it on the officiating.

Well in case he forgot, the reason why the Archers are in the Finals is due to bad officiating, remember the knockout game for the twice to beat advantage, where the Green Archers narrowly escaped the FEU Tamaraws 62-59.

That game was so bad for the Tamaraws, all the referees call were in favor of the Green Archers.

Now he should be just thankful for the Bad officiating, if it wasn't for that, the Green Archers should have been eliminated.

Baketball is just a game.

UAAP's Final Four

This year's UAAP cast of the Final Four includes league leading Ateneo De Manila University,defending champion De La Salle University, perennial contender Far Eastern University and making it for the seventh straight year the UE Red Warriors.

The first and fourth place have been secured by Ateneo and UE respectively, with Ateneo having the twice to beat advantage. I think Ateneo will easily make it to the championship round, with big man Al Hussaini dominating the game. Chris Tiu is in his final year,expect him to carry his team all the way to the Finals.

The second and third place have not yet been decided, with La Salle and FEU both toting a 10-3 record.

Both team have still one game left in the elimination, with La Salle facing Ateneo and FEU against UE.

If both La Salle and FEU wins, these two teams will play in a knock out game for that prestigious twice to beat advantage. It will be some sort of best of three for both squads.

Mac Baracael is back in the FEU roster after being shot by still unknown assailant, FEU's brotherhood has somehow carry the team to where it is now standing.

Final Four action kicks off September 14.

It was a sorry season for the UST Tigers, although boasting a strong lineup,they failed to make it this year. Better luck next time.

It's UAAP Basketball once again!!!!

College Basketball has always been exciting.

And its the start of the new season of the UAAP ( University Athletic Association of the Philippines )once again. Expect all the eight teams to give out their best to win the country's most prestigious collegiate basketball title.

And for this year, here are my choice teams who will make it to the Final Four.

De La Salle University Green Archers. No doubt about it, DLSU Green Archers have always been in the Final Four except in 2006, where they were banned from the league, but came back with a vengeance last year bagging the title against the unbeaten UE Red Warriors.

Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles.Barely making it to the Finals last year but lost to the eventual Champion DLSU Green Archers, expect the Eagles to soar this year. It will also mark Chris Tiu's final year and I am sure he wants to end it with a title.

Far Eastern University Tamaraws. Although they nearly make it to the Final Four last year with a bunch of Rookies and Sophomore, I believe that this team have already mature and are ready for the big time. Watch out for the 1-2 punch of Mac Baracael and JR Cawaling.

University of the East Red Warriors. Sweeping the elimination round last year but winless in the Finals, the Warriors are raring for a shot once again. Although they are no longer the same team last year with the departure of Mark Borboran and Kelvin Gregorio, still the team remains a potent threat with Elmer Espiritu, Marcy Arellano,Hans Thiele and James Martinez around.

Dark Horse is the University of Santo Tomas Tigers. This team have become unpredictable for the last two years,thanks to main man Jervy Cruz.

It's war in the basketball court.

ARCHERS SHOOT DOWN EAGLES, WILL FACE UE IN UAAP FINALS

Green and Blue. That’s the color that filled and separated the Big Dome today. With more than 23,000 plus jampacked crowd that filled the Araneta Coliseum up to the rafters. Students and Alumni of the green side of the De La Salle University emerged victorious over their arch rival Ateneo De Manila University.

With a 65-60 victory over the Blue Eagles, the Green Archers booked the second Finals seat against the unscathed University of the East Red Warriors. The Green Archers dominated the game after the half, but the Blue Eagles refused to give up and threatened up until the final seconds, after a triple of rookie Nonoy Baclao that pushed the Eagles within striking distance 62-60.

But veteran JV Casio calmly sank both his free throw to make it 64-60, Casio must have remembered their recent game against the UE Red Warriors where he fumbled in the free throw line where they could have prevented the Warriors from sweeping the elimination round.

Veterans Cholo Villanueva, TY Tang, Rico Maierhofer simply outplayed their Ateneo counterpart. These veterans outhustled, outrebounded most of the Ateneo players.

Defense was also the key in La Salle’s victory. Chris Tiu, the hero in Ateneo’s previous 65-64 win, was silenced in the last minute by the stifling defense of the Green Archers.

Looks like the UE Red Warriors will have its hands pull against the DLSU Green Archers. Having won the Fil-Oil and Nike summer tournament in the pre season, the Green Archers are touted as the team to beat in these years UAAP wars. These two evenly match up. DLSU beats UE in the semifinal of the Nike tournament. UE avenged it with a 20 point lopsided win in the first round and then barely escaping De La Salle with an overtime win.

Marcy Arellano, Elmer Espiritu, Mark Borboran, Kelvin Gregorio, James Martinez and the rest of the UE Red Warriors should not be overconfident and should be wary against the dangerous DLSU Green Archers.

It’s the second time that brothers who are coaching in UAAP will meet in the Finals. First was the Banal Brothers who had done it way back in 2003. Koy Banal with the FEU Tamaraws and Joel Banal with Ateneo Blue Eagles, with the former winning the crown. This year it will be the Pumaren Brothers with Franz with DLSU and Dindo with UE. Franz has the experienced, winning four in his first four years in the UAAP. Dindo should do his assignment very well if he wants to win one.

Let’s all wait and see if who wins, UE Red Warriors versus De La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 70 Finals, your school, your choice. Nothing beats College Basketball…..