MANILA, Philippines – The rematch is set.
For the second year in a row, the defending champion La Salle Green Archers and the UP Fighting Maroons will fight for the crown in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
With La Salle looking to go back-to-back and UP seeking to bounce back, Game 1 of this best-of-three clash promises to be a good one as both squads aim to draw first blood at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 8.
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THIRD QUARTER
- UP 42-41: Quentin Millora-Brown gives UP the lead with an undergoal stab at the 6:21 mark, first since 9-7
- LA SALLE 41-40: Francis Lopez goes 1-of-2 from the line
- LA SALLE 41-39: Francis Lopez drives hard for a layup
SECOND QUARTER
- HALFTIME: Kevin Quiambao unloads 14 points in the second quarter as La Salle stays ahead of UP with a 41-37 lead
- LA SALLE 41-37: Lian Ramiro cashes in a triple off the timeout
- LA SALLE 38-37: JD Cagulangan pulls UP within one with a crafty layup
- LA SALLE 38-35: Jacob Bayla scores off a goaltend
- LA SALLE 38-33: JD Cagulangan knocks down a technical free throw
- LA SALLE 38-32: EJ Gollena finishes on the break
- LA SALLE 36-32: Sean Torculas converts inside
- LA SALLE 36-30: CJ Austria spins and scores against Gerry Abadiano
- LA SALLE 34-30: JD Cagulangan scores off Sean Torculas’ miss
- LA SALLE 34-28: Jacob Bayla splits his free throws, the first miss of any team
- LA SALLE 34-27: Kevin Quiambao still on fire as he fires another triple
- LA SALLE 31-27: Jacob Bayla drains two foul shots
- LA SALLE 31-25: Kevin Quiambao hits a tough fall-away jumper
- LA SALLE 29-25: Gerry Abadiano banks it in
- LA SALLE 29-23: Kevin Quiambao steps back for a trey
- LA SALLE 26-23: JD Cagulangan swishes a short jumper
- LA SALLE 26-21: Gerry Abadiano goes perfect from the stripe
- LA SALLE 26-19: Kevin Quiambao adds two more from the line
- LA SALLE 24-19: JD Cagulagan pulls up for a mid-range hit
- LA SALLE 24-17: Kevin Quiambao nails two charities
- LA SALLE 22-17: Francis Lopez cleans his own miss
- LA SALLE 22-15: Kevin Quiambao answers with a deuce
- LA SALLE 20-15: Quentin Millora-Brown scores inside
- LA SALLE 20-13: EJ Gollena goes 2-of-2 from the line
- LA SALLE 18-13: Terrence Fortea starts the second with a floater
FIRST QUARTER
- END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: La Salle rises past UP with a 16-4 finish for the 18-11 lead
- LA SALLE 18-11: Mike Phillips scores on a goaltend
- LA SALLE 16-11: EJ Gollena stays on fire as he hits a three-pointer
- LA SALLE 13-11: Harold Alarcon stops UP’s drought with a jumper
- LA SALLE 13-9: Kevin Quiambao keeps La Salle’s run going with two charities
- LA SALLE 11-9: Back-to-back baskets by EJ Gollena for the 9-2 run
- 9-9: EJ Gollena ties it up with a strong finish
- UP 9-7: Kevin Quiambao scores his first basket off a floater
- UP 9-5: Sean Torculas hits two free throws
- UP 7-5: Mike Phillips gets on the board with a three
- UP 7-2: Quentin Millora-Brown soars high for a two-handed slam
- UP 5-2: Reyland Torres gets open for a three
- 2-2: Vhoris Marasigan quickly answers with his own layup
- UP 2-0: Francis Lopez opens the scoring with a layup
STARTERS
- La Salle – Henry Agunanne, Vhoris Marasigan, JC Macalalag, Josh David, Kevin Quiambao
- UP – Reyland Torres, Quentin Millora-Brown, Gerry Abadiano, Francis Lopez, JD Cagulangan
UAAP FINALS G1 | WATCH:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 8, 2024
LETTING OFF STEAM.
Both teams huddled up during the announcement of starting lineups.
La Salle makes a huge prayer circle, while UP looking intently at the coaching board. #UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/ZcuPfVGLs9
UAAP FINALS G1 | WATCH:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 8, 2024
The UP Fighting Maroons come out of the tunnel soon after!#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/aH4MIblumA
UAAP FINALS G1 | WATCH:
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 8, 2024
The DLSU Green Archers emerge in single file! #UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/9O0H7d4XCH
Preview
After ending the elimination round at the second spot, the Fighting Maroons overcame a gutsy challenge by the third-seeded UST Growling Tigers in the Final Four, 78-69, to advance to the finals for the fourth consecutive season.
Meanwhile, the league-leading Green Archers booked a return trip to the finals after making quick work of the fourth-ranked Adamson Soaring Falcons in the other semifinal matchup, 70-55.
With rumors of him taking his talents to the Korean Basketball League (KBL) immediately after the finals, all eyes will be on back-to-back UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao as he tries to lead the Green Archers to another title before likely turning pro.
In La Salle’s two-game sweep of UP in the eliminations this season, Quiambao topped the scoring column for the Green Archers in both games, dropping 20 points in their first meeting and 15 in the second round.
Coming off a stint with Gilas Pilipinas, it was also Quiambao who led the Green Archers in their 15-point rout of the Soaring Falcons in the Final Four with 14 points.
As UP tries to limit the production of Quiambao, look for other key La Salle players such as Mythical Team returnee Mike Phillips and Joshua David to step up to the challenge and provide firepower for the Green Archers.
Phillips is expected to go toe-to-toe with UP’s top big man Quentin Millora-Brown, while David is counted upon to hold his own against Fighting Maroons star point guard JD Cagulangan, who is also a member of this season’s Mythical Team.
Interestingly, La Salle has yet to play UP at its full force this season as the Fighting Maroons missed the services of Cagulangan in their heated opening-round encounter and Millora-Brown in their second-round showdown.
With Millora-Brown and Cagulangan both suiting up, along with the likes of Francis Lopez and Harold Alarcon, La Salle should brace for a whole different UP squad which is eager to get back on top after two straight finals heartbreaks.
Game time is 5:30 pm. – Rappler.com