Fighting Maroons sa kampeonato!

Sa ikaapat na pagkakataon sa limang season, pasok ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa UAAP Men's Basketball Finals.

Ang top-seeded Fighting Maroons ay humarabas sa huling kanto upang patalsikin ang moderno-day rival, ang fourth-ranked Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, 57-46 panalo Sabado sa harap ng 14,505 fans sa SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Ito rin ang ikatlong sunod na tyansa ng UP sa championship series, nanalo sa Season 84 bago natalo muli ang titulo sa Ateneo sa 85. Hihintayin ng UP ang mananalo sa twice-to-beat De La Salle- National University semis pairing.

Hinati ng Fighting Maroons ang kanilang head-to-head laban sa Green Archers sa eliminations, at dalawang beses na nilang natalo ang Bulldogs ngayong season.

"Both teams we just fought. The score says it all. Both teams just came prepared especially on the defensive end. Both teams also struggled offensively, we got it going nung third quarter but more than that, they just fought hard, and hindi sila bumitaw hanggang dulo," saad ni UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon.

Ahead by just five entering the fourth period, Gerry Abadiano, Francis Lopez, and Janjan Felicilda drained the much-needed baskets that allowed the Fighting Maroons to stretch their lead to nine with 3:51 left, 53-44.

Then, UP continued to clamp down on Ateneo's defense, restricting the defending champion to just two points for the rest of the game.

Joseph Obasa contributed with a putback off a missed shot by Chris Koon with 2:23 to go, while Lopez sealed the victory with a lefty layup and two free throws in the waning seconds.

Angat ng lima pa lang sa pag-entra ng fourth period, naubos nina Gerry Abadiano, Francis Lopez, at Janjan Felicilda ang kinakailangang basket na nagbigay-daan sa Fighting Maroons na iunat ang kanilang kalamangan sa siyam sa natitirang 3:51, 53-44.

Pagkatapos, ipinagpatuloy ng UP ang pag-silo sa depensa ng Ateneo, na nilimitahan ang defending champion sa dalawang puntos lamang para sa natitirang bahagi ng giyera.

Nag-ambag si Joseph Obasa sa isang putback sa isang missed shot ni Chris Koon may 2:23 na lang, habang si Lopez ay tinatakan ang panalo sa pamamagitan ng lefty layup at dalawang free throws sa papaupos na segundo.

"For me, it's a team effort. Everybody was working hard and we prepared well for Ateneo. I'm really happy right now for the win and going to the Finals," sambit ni reigning MVP Malick Diouf, na may matikas na 12 points, 16 rebounds, three steals, at three blocks. EM

Iskor:

UP 57 – Diouf 12, Lopez 12, Felicilda 10, Abadiano 9, Torculas 7, Cansino 3, Cagulangan 2, Alarcon 2, Pablo 0, Torres 0, Alter 0, Belmonte 0, Fortea 0.

Ateneo 46 – Koon 10, Ballungay 8, Espinosa 7, Amos 6, Obasa 4, Brown 3, Chiu 3, Credo 3, Quitevis 2, Lazaro 0.

Quarterscores: 7-11, 22-25, 42-37, 57-46

CJ CANSINO