There’s no holding back for the Fighting Maroons.

With a streamlined offense, the men's basketball team (MBT) concluded the first half of their UAAP Season 87 campaign with 6 wins and 1 loss, finishing second after its sole setback against Season 86 finals tormentor DLSU Green Archers. 

The women’s basketball team (WBT) is also heating up for its second-round revenge following a 3-win, 4-loss grind in the opening leg that landed them fifth in the standings.

Maroon Dynasty

The MBT’s season so far has been fueled by their offensive strength, leading to an average of 74.6 points per game, second-best in the league and just a point behind the Green Archers. 

Bannering the 6-1 rehash of last season’s round 1 campaign were Maroon juggernaut Harold Alarcon and Season 86 Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez, averaging 10 ppg, respectively.

UP’s reliable bench (with a whopping 43.9 ppg) and locked-in playmaking inside the paint (34.9 ppg), both the best in the league, remain an unbroken spell this season. With newly-suited rebound dynamo Quentin Millora Brown (9.7 rpg) and crucial paint shots from Lopez, the MBT is eyeing an impenetrable second round.

But shooting droughts in the first half, fumbled ball possessions, and worrisome fouls taunt MBT’s frontcourt presence.

Their season opener victory against Ateneo was still swarmed with a stack of 30 fouls. And their sluggish rematch and eventual defeat against the Taft towers exposed the team’s fragility with 3-pointers, previously a Terrence Fortea and Gerry Abadiano mainstay. 

With semifinal stakes and twice-to-beat seeds now on the table, the Maroons’ late half-clutches may fall flat if dragged on too long. Their next match against the Archers may lead to a deja vu loss without an upbeat start against the aggressive offense and strong rebounding of the Taft-based team.

But despite the La Salle puzzle, the second round may tell a different tale with constant starter and 3-point hothand JD Cagulangan back from injury. Co-captain Cagulangan was sidelined in their win against the Growling Tigers and in the only losing game of the team against DLSU.

“We just stick to the game plan, work as a team, look for better shots, at the same time on the other hand, we had to remind each other that defensively, we needed to work for it,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde after the team’s September 28 victory against Adamson.

Recalibrating Rhythm

Contrary to the MBT’s almost unstoppable run, the women’s basketball team (WBT) dealt with roadblocks despite its hard-fought effort. The ladies settled for fifth at the end of the first round, with 3 wins and 4 losses.

Botched defensive rebounds dragged the WBT down throughout the season, with double-digit points being given away in their downfall against the NU Lady Bulldogs and Ateneo Lady Eagles. They’re lagging behind in second-chance points allowed, at 12.6 points per game.

And so for the WBT to recover in the next games, they’ll need to bolster refined box-outs and offensive attacks to capitalize fastbreak doors and more putbacks. A versatile line-up is also much needed for the WBT, as limited rotation and dependence on starters hurt their bench capacity. 

But the hoop heroines could still see a shift in momentum with their field shooting specialty of 35.9 percent, on par with frontrunner NU and Katipunan contender Ateneo. Point wizard Achrissa Maw (16.6 ppg) and iron woman Louna Ozar (12.3 ppg) meant business, racking up the team’s 14.3 average turnover ppg.

Though the WBT’s strong midrange shooting (43.6 percent) and free throw accuracy (23.1 percent) grant an upside hope for a better second round, their threes remain a work in progress, despite swishes from point guard Kye Pesquera. 

The title-hungry court divas, who saw a bronze finish in the previous season and their first semifinal feat in 15 years, can face the next games by maintaining their disciplines gameplays with a jive between crucial twos and brave trespasses near the basket.

“I think it was really just that the players were more clear with what they needed to do in any possession kasi it was evident in the last two games namin that we were lost with what to do with our offense,” said WBT head coach Paul Ramos after a victorious round 1 ender against DLSU.

Both teams aim to bless their second-round rally with a match against the UST Growling Tigers at the Araneta Coliseum today at 12 p.m. for the WBT and 6:30 p.m. for the MBT. ●