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ATENEO coach Norman Black doesn’t expect his charges to fully contain Far Eastern University’s 1-2 punch of RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo but said defense will still be the key when the Blue Eagles clash with the Tamaraws in Game 1 of their UAAP title series tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We don’t expect to stop RR and Terrence but we have to play good overall defense," Black said yesterday as the Blue Eagles continued to rev up for the series opener, set at 4:20 p.m.

Offensively, Black said, anybody in his roster can step up.

"Our strength is our weakness," he added. "This is a very balanced squad. But that’s also our weakness because we don’t know who will step up in the endgame."

Last Tuesday, Black insisted his charges are as hungry as the Tamaraws, who are bidding to end a four-year title drought.

Yesterday, FEU coach Glenn Capacio insisted they are the hungrier side but added they are the underdogs "because they (Eagles) have the experience and are motivated by their bid for a three-peat.

"The only positive thing on our side is that we are hungrier and we can deliver against all odds," said Capacio, who steered his charges to two close wins over the Blue Eagles in the eliminations.

One thing going for FEU is the one-game suspension slapped on Ateneo big man Jumbo Escueta who will miss Game 1. Escueta committed his second unsportsmanlike foul against Adamson in the semifinals that merited an automatic one-game suspension.

In Escueta’s absence, Nico Salva, Frank Golla and Justin Chua are expected to step up while Erik Salamat, Kirk Long and Eman Monfort will be a good match-up for Garcia and Romeo in the backcourt.

The Blue Eagles will go into the match armed with plenty of experience, having been in the finals four times in the last five years, missing the bus only in 2007.

The Tamaraws last figured in the finals when a team coached by Bert Florez swept the La Salle Green Archers for the crown.