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Expect their blossoming friendship to be set aside when National U guard Gelo Alolino and Far Eastern U counterpart Mike Tolomia go at it anew this Wednesday in their winner-take-all match for the UAAP Season 77 men鈥檚 basketball title at the Araneta Coliseum.

Contemporaries in the Philippine national youth team a few years ago, the 5-foot-11 Alolino and Tolomia, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard, are expected to take center stage again in the biggest game yet of their promising careers, both equally determined to claim their first UAAP title after four years of struggles and frustrations.

And both seniors are expected to do it all costs and let their friendship temporarily take a backseat.

鈥淢agkaibigan kami pero pagdating sa game, laro lang muna talaga. Kasama naman du鈥檔 ang pagiging competitive,鈥?said Alolino during an interview with sports scribes .

鈥淧ero pagdating sa labas, kami kami pa rin naman,鈥?he added, while joking around with close buddy and newly-minted league MVP Kiefer Ravena who stood beside him during the interview. 鈥淜ahit hindi kami nag-uusap personally, through text o kaya social networking naman. Pagdating sa game, simpleng tap okay na.鈥?br>
Both playing in their fourth year in the league, Alolino is bidding to help the Bulldogs end a 60-year long dry spell while Tolomia is hoping he could steer the Tamaraws back to the top for the first time since 2005.

FEU took the opener with a 75-70 victory last October 4 but NU, employing a suffocating defensive pressure right from the get-go, bounced back with a 62-47 triumph four days later, setting up the stage for sudden-death showdown that is expected to draw another mammoth crowd.

"Ibibigay na namin lahat, 'yung best namin. Expected naman namin na ibibigay rin ng FEU 'yung lahat. Kung sino talaga ang may gusto, siya ang mananalo,鈥?said Alolino, who admitted it remains a toss-up despite them winning Game 2 in dominant fashion.

鈥淎lam naman natin na FEU is more of an offensive team. Kami naman defensive team. Kung sino ang mag-i-impose ng game, siya ang may advantage,鈥?he added. 鈥淢ore flow dapat sa offense namin. We should also stop their transition kasi strength nila 鈥榶un.鈥?br>
While the Tamaraws have shown their ability to bounce back, notably in their epic win over dethroned titlist La Salle in the semifinals, the Bulldogs have been thriving in must-win situations, highlighted by their win over University of the East in a playoff match for the No. 4 seed and their epic toppling of top-seeded Ateneo in the Final Four despite a twice-to-win disadvantage.

鈥淗indi naman kami sanay sa do-or-die, kaso kailangan lang talaga namin ilabas ang laro namin. Basta kami kung paano nagpe-prepare, 鈥榶ung mga ginagawa namin sa do-or-die games, 鈥榶un pa rin dapat ang gawin namin at ilagay sa utak namin,鈥?pointed out Alolino.

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