National University plays defending champion Ateneo to cap a four-game bill to open second round action of the UAAP Season 81 juniors basketball tournament on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The 6-1 Bullpups hope to score a repeat of their 78-62 win in a rematch of last year’s Finals to become the No. 1 team in the first round in their 3 p.m. duel with the Blue Eaglets which will be aired on national TV.
Far Eastern University-Diliman and Adamson University, bunched in a three-way with Ateneo in second place at 5-2, clash at 11 a.m.
The showdown will also feature giants Kai Sotto, the 7-foot-1 Ateneo center who is leading the season MVP race, and NU’s Carl Tamayo.
In their first UAAP match-up with Sotto last Dec. 15, Tamayo tallied a double-double effort of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Sotto paced the Eaglets with 23 points, 13 boards and three assists.
Looking sharp as ever, the Bullpups are coming off a PSSBC championship during the Christmas break.
In other matches, University of Santo Tomas (3-4) and University of the East (1-6) collide at 9 a.m., while De La Salle-Zobel (3-4) and UP Integrated School (0-7) take the floor at 1 p.m. “‹