November 23, 2025 | 1:10pm
MANILA, Philippines — Entering must-win territory, the Ateneo Blue Eagles underscored that the fighting spirit is still alive and kicking as they try to punch a ticket to the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball Final Four.
The Blue Eagles, who missed the Final Four for the first time in the Tab Baldwin era last season, needs to win their final two games for a chance to make it to the semifinals. They are currently holding a 5-7 win-loss record.
But first, Ateneo will need to win its game against Adamson on Sunday, 1:30 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Like the Blue Eagles, Adamson, holding a 6-7 card, is also in a must-win situation.
After Ateneo’s crucial 79-75 defeat against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons earlier in the week, head coach Tab Baldwin stressed that the team is unbowed.
“As far as playoff aspirations, it’s still alive. We just have to win games. There’s two left. I think it’s pretty important to win both of them,” he told reporters.
“While the playoff scenario isn’t entirely in our hands, the likelihood is that we will still have a good shot, a very, very good shot if we can win the next two games. We have everything to play for,’ he added.
Ateneo won its first four games, before going on a five-game slump. It finally broke the dry spell with a win over UE, but lost two straight heading to the crucial stretch.
“As I said, the mood in the locker room was disappointed that we lost. But still, fighting spirit is there because there’s a lot to fight for,” said Baldwin.
The Ateneo-Adamson clash is technically a do-or-die matchup. With the top two spots locked up by National University and UP, University of Santo Tomas (7-5), La Salle (7-6), FEU and Adamson (6-7) and Ateneo are still in the running for the last two Final Four spots.
Any team that would reach eight losses will be eliminated.