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Black concedes FEU has momentum but believes Ateneo can regroup

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/11/29/black-chot-mvp.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Former Ateneo coach Norman Black (C) watches the game along with Gilas coach Chot Reyes (L) and businessman Manny V. Pangilinan (R). Arvin Lim, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/basketball/photos" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports</a></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Former Ateneo de Manila University coach Norman Black believes the young Blue Eagles have what it takes to recover from their loss to Far Eastern University (FEU) in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 79 tournament and claim the victory in Wednesday&#x27;s do-or-die game.Black, now the head coach of the Meralco Bolts in the PBA, watched as the Blue Eagles squandered a 10-point fourth quarter advantage and bowed to FEU, 61-62, allowing the Tamaraws to force a winner-take-all for the second berth in the Season 79 Finals.Already waiting in the best-of-three championship series is Ateneo&#x27;s arch-rival, De La Salle University, who slipped past the Adamson University Falcons in their own Final 4 game last week.The architect of Ateneo&#x27;s &quot;five-peat&quot; from Season 71 to 75, Black acknowledged that the momentum is now clearly on the side of the Tamaraws.(READ: FEU fights back, forces do-or-die with Ateneo) [http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2016/11/26/feu-fights-back-forces-die-ateneo-18515]&quot;They (FEU) just won the game, so in my experience in basketball, when you win, you have more confidence than when you lose,&quot; he said.It was the Blue Eagles&#x27; first loss to the Tamaraws all season long, and marked the end of the six-game winning streak that propelled them to the second seed in the Final 4.Nevertheless, Black believes Ateneo is perfectly capable of righting the ship.&quot;A lot of it will depend on Ateneo, and them just pulling together and understanding that they had twice-to-beat advantage for a reason,&quot; Black explained. &quot;That means they have two chances to get to the Finals.&quot;&quot;So they just have to re-gather their thoughts, put their energies back together, and win the game on Wednesday,&quot; he added.&quot;You work so hard during the course of the season to get that twice-to-beat advantage, so now it&#x27;s time for the Ateneo team to use it.&quot;It has been four years since Black last handled the Ateneo program, but knowing what he does about the team&#x27;s coaching staff, he has no doubts that they will prepare the Blue Eagles well and motivate them to give their all on Wednesday.&quot;If they (the coaching staff) say the right things, the players will be ready to play on Wednesday,&quot; said Black.&quot;Like I said, you get a twice-to-beat advantage for a reason. FEU still has to beat Ateneo twice. They&#x27;ve only beaten them once, so Ateneo still has a chance to get to the Finals,&quot; he added.None of Black&#x27;s teams during the &quot;five-peat&quot; ever lost a game in the Final 4. They lost only one game in the Finals – Game 2 of the Season 72 Finals against University of the East. In Seasons 73 and 74, Black&#x27;s Blue Eagles swept the FEU Tamaraws in the championship round to win the crown.He declined to make a prediction, only saying: &quot;I hope Ateneo wins.&quot;For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website. [http://sports.abs-cbn.com/]

Former Ateneo coach Norman Black believes the young Blue Eagles have what it takes to recover from their loss to Far Eastern University in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 79 tournament and claim the victory in Wednesday's do-or-die game.

Former Ateneo coach Norman Black believes the young Blue Eagles have what it takes to recover from their loss to Far Eastern University in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 79 tournament and claim the victory in Wednesday's do-or-die game.

Black concedes FEU has momentum but believes Ateneo can regroup

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Black concedes FEU has momentum but believes Ateneo can regroup

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 29, 2016 07:13 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP

UAAP Season 79

Ateneo Blue Eagles

FEU Tamaraws

Norman Black

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