Sellout crowd expected in Game 1 of UAAP finals

MANILA -- Game 1 of the 75th UAAP men's basketball finals between Ateneo de Manila and University of Santo Tomas is expected to draw a capacity crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City after tickets for the match were sold out hours after the release on Wednesday.

SM Tickets announced on microblogging site Twitter that it will no longer produce additional passes on Saturday, the start of the best-of-three finals series. SM only released limited number of tickets since the UAAP allocated most of the tickets to the said schools.

The sports and multi-event complex can seat 16,000 spectators, with a full-house capacity of up to 20,000 persons, according to a company statement.

Armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, both teams disposed their Final Four opponents last week.

The Blue Eagles, who are gunning for a fifth straight title, will meet the Growling Tigers in the finals for the first time since 2006. Ateneo is set to avenge its loss to UST, which managed a Cinderella run to claim the Season 69 crown in three games.

Game 1 will be shown live on ABS-CBN Channel 2. Game 2 will be held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on October 11 and Game 3 at MOA Arena on October 13, if necessary. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)