By Joel Reyes 

 

The UAAP Finals between the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University will go to a deciding Game 3 for the third consecutive year. The Fighting Maroons forced a do-or-die match in the Season 88 Men’s Basketball Finals after beating the Green Archers 65-63 in a cardiac affair last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

 

Let’s look back at the past two winner-take-all showdowns between UP and La Salle as they get ready for another titanic Game 3 clash this coming Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. 

 

 

Game 3 of the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Basketball Finals proved to be a classic with De La Salle recording a nerve-wracking 73-69 over UP on Dec. 6, 2023. Kevin Quiambao starred for the Green Archers, who erased a 0-1 series deficit to end their seven-year title drought.

 

He stuffed the stat sheet against the Maroons, amassing 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and two blocks in Game 3. Evan Nelle also punished UP’s defense, tallying 12 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and two steals in the title decider. 

 

 

It was a gut-wrenching loss for the Maroons, who held a 67-63 lead with roughly six minutes remaining in the final quarter. The Archers finished strongly, though, with Quiambao sinking four title-clinching free throws down the stretch to hand coach Topex Robinson his first-ever college basketball crown.

 

 

The UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Finals followed the same script as the previous year in the first two games, with UP taking Game 1 and La Salle tying the series in Game 2. That set up a winner-take-all clash, with the Archers looking for back-to-back UAAP titles and the Maroons aiming to capture their second UAAP crown in four years.

 

Goldwin Monteverde’s men had the game under control, building a commanding 56-43 lead late in the third quarter. La Salle launched a furious fightback, though, unleashing a 13-0 blast bridging the third and fourth quarters to tie the game at 56-all.

 

 

The game remained hanging in the balance until Francis Lopez knocked down a clutch triple with 1:12 left to give UP a 64-60 lead. La Salle’s EJ Gollena sliced the deficit to two points before Quentin Millora-Brown sealed the championship for the Fighting Maroons. He sank a pair of pressure-packed free throws with 11 seconds left to lead UP to a 66-62 victory.

 

UP’s departing trio took center stage in the win against La Salle. Millora-Brown finished the game with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lopez also posted a double-double, recording 12 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and a block. JD Cagulangan matched Lopez’s offensive output with 12 points.