De La Salle University’s Jacob Cortez and University of the Philippines‘ Harold Alarcon in UAAP Season 88 men‘s basketball. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — The winner of the latest installment of the University of the Philippines–De La Salle University men’s basketball Finals will have a storybook ending to UAAP Season 88.
Both the Fighting Maroons and the Green Archers struggled early in the tournament, casting doubts on their chances of making it to the league’s biggest stage.
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After enduring its worst start under coach Goldwin Monteverde at 0-2, UP recovered.
Despite losing twice to La Salle during the 12-game span, the defending champions still finished second in the eliminations and overcame University of Santo Tomas in the Final Four to secure a fifth straight title round appearance.
Things went rocky for the Green Archers after dropping three of their first five games, as injuries and suspensions plagued the team.
But La Salle regrouped just in time late in the eliminations, winning do-or-die games against UP and Ateneo, and toppling top-ranked National University twice in the Final Four to reach the Finals for a third consecutive season.
Having split their first two championship meetings, the Fighting Maroons and the Green Archers will break the tie starting with Game 1 at 4 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Coach Monteverde, making his fifth Finals appearance since taking over UP in UAAP Season 84 (2022), is grateful for the chance to secure back-to-back titles and give graduating players led by Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, and Terrence Fortea a fitting send-off.
"Well, as a coach, siyempre, wala ka nang hihingin pa sa team, diba? Sa kung anong pinapakita nila in terms of yung effort na lumaban sa game. And, to start yung season with a 0-2, I mean, coming together, you know, and being able to respond after the first two games natin and, so, my part din, siyempre, pag nakikita mo yung team itself na, lalo itong mga kasama ko, maraming kaming ups and downs na ganyan pero, alam ko rin lang that I trust na yung team would always, you know, bounce back, babangon talaga. So for me, that in itself, I'm very proud of," Monteverde said.
Coach Topex Robinson of La Salle expressed utmost respect for the Fighting Maroons.
La Salle claimed the UAAP Season 86 Finals before UP returned last season, and Robinson expects the third meeting to go down to the wire if the first two games, both of which went the distance, are any indication.
"Through the first Finals experience we had, I think the most important thing is the respect. We really respect that team so much. It’s their fifth straight Finals appearance, so that’s really huge for a program. It’s really gonna be a good challenge for us as a team. Personally, as a coach, as well, I can learn from somebody who’s been there five times. Hindi chamba yun. They really are a good staff that he has there, and a good support group as well. But we also have to take into consideration that we’re also happy to be here. We also wanted to be in the Finals," Robinson said.
Even if the Green Archers swept their head-to-head eliminations matchups, the Fighting Maroons remain formidable, particularly with their solid backcourt.
"Yes, Jacob (Cortez) was right, they’re the defending champions. They’re gonna come in with so much experience, especially their guards. Sa amin, for now, we just want to be happy we’re here," Robinson added.
Cortez, the son of Mike Cortez—one of the key cogs in La Salle’s four-peat in Season 64 (2001)—will be the marked man, especially after his clutch performances late in the eliminations and the Final Four.
The Bulldogs will also have a chance to redeem themselves from their painful men’s Final Four setback in Game 2 of the women’s championship.
NU shoots for a back-to-back title and its ninth overall to complete a stunning reversal of UST, which dominated the eliminations via a 14-0 sweep, at 1 p.m.
First-year coach DA Olan is not taking any chances, as the Lady Bulldogs brace for a strong Tigresses fightback that could force a rubber match on Sunday.
READ: NU women deal UST's first loss, inch closer to back-to-back crowns
"Mindset, of course, is hindi namin iisipin na magiging madali -- first of all, 'yon ang una. Hindi namin iisipin na magiging madali yung Game 2. I know that we want to win sa next game, pero our focus should be on UST coming out really hard on Game 2. Focus and effort pa rin kailangan nila ibigay, and even more, sa pinakita nila this game," Olan said.
The Tigresses need to move on from last Sunday’s 79-84 series-opening loss and regain the form that gave them the No. 1 ranking in the eliminations.
"We have to play our game. We didn’t play our game today. Yung pace namin, sumabay kami sa NU diba so we really want to stick to the system, play with pace, and hopefully come back stronger in Game 2," said UST coach Haydee Ong.
"I think yung sa effort naman nandun eh. I think yung focus and concentration during the game as well as yung breaks na nakaka-shoot yung NU — we should have stopped those diba? I think more on mental talaga. If I could see the stats talaga, most probably naman majority lamang kami sa stats eh but yung intangibles that you will not see, like yung back-to-back threes ni (Marga) Villanueva, we need to stop. Yun yung mga kailangan namin," Ong added.
In the 16U division, NU–Nazareth School aims to complete a perfect 16-0 campaign against Far Eastern University–Diliman in the 11 a.m. opener.
The league’s best of Season 88 in the women’s and 16U divisions will be honored in a short ceremony at 10 a.m., with MVPs NU’s Ann Pingol and UE’s Goodluck Okebata leading the awardees in their respective divisions.