Flores, FEU face daunting task against 4-peat seeking Ateneo

Far Eastern University coach Bert Flores feels that he and his Tamaraws have a lot to prove when they go up against four-peat seeking Ateneo in the 74th UAAP men's basketball finals. The Tams and Blue Eagles begin their best-of-three title series on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum. Flores steered FEU, which was then led by two-time league Most Valuable Player Arwind Santos, to its last UAAP men's basketball title in 2005. The Tamaraws, in their title retention bid the following year, missed the Final Four forcing management to "disband" the team. Flores stayed with the Tams but was demoted to an assistant after Glenn Capacio was named head coach. Capacio led the Tamaraws to the 2010 finals as the top-seed only to be swept by Ateneo. He resigned after the season paving the way for Flores to return as the head coach. It didn't take long for Flores to lead FEU back to the finals as the Tamaraws, ranked third in the Final Four, overcame No. 2 seed Adamson Falcons' twice-to-beat advantage to set up a rematch against Ateneo for the 2011 crown. Flores said that despite winning the crown in 2005, he remains hungry to clinch this season's basketball title but is pressured to repeat his impressive performance. He said the Tamaraws are the underdogs in the series and they face a daunting task of defeating the Blue Eagles, a team that has only dropped a game once so far this season. Ateneo swept their season series against FEU with the Blue Eagles winning big in the first round, 69-49, last August 7 then followed it up with a 74-67 overtime win six days later. Flores will also be up against multi-titled coach in Norman Black for the first time in a championship series—a task that he admits will be a difficult one. "He (Black) is a champion coach that won a PBA Grand Slam. He's rich in experience that is why I don't want to face Ateneo in a twice-to-beat situation," said Flores. Black had nothing but praises for Flores, whose coaching tactics in their second round encounter caught the Blue Eagles off-guard before pulling out a tough win. "He has done a good job this year, that's for sure. The last time I faced him in the playoffs in 2005, he beat us." "The last time we faced FEU, he figured out that he can't go in the game with the same thing he's been doing in the past game. He changed up their offense which helped them a lot," Black said. "But now, we are aware that he will probably be changing his offense on Saturday so we will be prepared for that," Black added. The Blue Eagles are loaded with talent with Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena, Nico Salva and Kirk Long leading the way. But the Tamaraws have enough firepower especially with last season's MVP RR Garcia, Aldrech Ramos, Terrence Romeo and Mike Tolomia. "We are fighting injuries but we reached the finals. Game 1 will be crucial. We just have to continue to work hard. They are strong in transition so we have to match-up well especially in Game 1," said Flores. Flores also said that they have to find a way on how to stop the 7-foot Slaughter especially with big men JR Cawaling and Pipo Noundou still injured. "We're undermanned. I think I'll ask them to eat some spinach," Flores said in jest. "But we have to limit Greg's touches because he is really a tough center to guard." — JVP, GMA News