The boys are finally back together, just in time for the championship games.
The UP Men's Basketball Team got to deliver the first blow with a complete squad against the La Salle Green Archers, 73-65, notching their first finals win in a best-of-three for the championship title last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This marks the first time the Fighting Maroons brought out Quentin Millora-Brown and JD Cagulangan together against La Salle this season, with one or the other absent during the elimination rounds. Millora-Brown missed the second round match-up due to the passing of his grandfather, while Cagulangan could not make it to the first round due to an injury.
But now with both star players in better conditions, their return together to the court boded well for UP this time around. QMB led the pack with a 17-point career high to complement his 9 rebounds and 3 assists, while Cagulangan had the most dimes with 5 assists along with his 13-point contribution and 4 boards.
This is UP’s first victory against La Salle since Season 86’s Finals Game 1, with the Maroons losing at the hands of the Archers in the final two championship games last season and the two elimination matches this season.
The Maroons initially trailed the Archers during the opening frame, and a last-second goaltend allowed La Salle to expand their lead to seven points. But the game blew wide open by the second quarter, with an explosive back-and-forth between State U and La Salle’s star player Kevin Quiambao—UP hung on for dear life by halftime, 41-37.
By the second half, it was QMB who led the Maroons’ comeback during the team's 8-0 run. With help from Francis Lopez, he took back the lead for UP from the Archers, who were stuck in a drought for nearly seven minutes of the third frame.
While La Salle’s KQ stayed on top of the leaderboard with 19 points, his first-half groove came to an abrupt end—with only one technical free throw under his belt in the fourth quarter.
QMB, together with Cagulangan, further expanded UP’s dominance by the final frame with a commanding 11-point lead, 65-54. La Salle’s Mike Phillips tried to get the gap as close as four points with a putback, 67-63, but Gerry Abadiano shut that down with a triple—causing the Archers to time out with 40 seconds left.
It’s now up to UP to prove Sunday was not a fluke as they go into Game 2 against La Salle on Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
UP (73)
Millora-Brown 17, Cagulangan 13, Lopez 13, Abadiano 9, Torculas 7, Bayla 5, Alarcon 4, Torres 3, Fortea 2, Stevens 0, Felicilda 0, Ududo 0.
DLSU (65)
Quiambao 19, Phillips 17, Gollena 11, Austria 7, Ramiro 5, David 2, Agunnane 2, Marasigan 2, Dungo 0, Macalalag 0, Gonzales 0, Rubico 0.
QUARTER SCORES
11-18, 37-41, 54-50, 73-65. ●
