MANILA, Philippines -- If you were to ask Evan Nelle, a more physical Game 3 of the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball finals awaits the La Salle Green Archers and the UP Fighting Maroons.
The winner-take-all game on Wednesday will either give the Maroons their second title in three seasons, or the Archers their first championship since Jeron Teng led La Salle to the promised land in Season 79.
Nelle said he thinks the already physical Games 1 and 2 will reach its boiling point in Game 3.
“It’s gonna be a way more physical Game 3 because I don’t think they wanna lose, we don’t wanna lose,” the guard told reporters.
“So let’s see who will give in,” he added.
There was an instance in Game 2 where things got a little bit chippy.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Nelle and UP’s Reyland Torres got tangled up heading into a timeout.
Nelle then bumped Torres as players from both teams tried to diffuse the situation.
La Salle’s Joaqui Manuel was given a technical foul after pushing the Fighting Maroon. Nelle and Torres were just given warnings.
“It was just horseplay. That’s the intensity of the game, that’s the crowd when you feed off the crowd,” Nelle said.
Intense as the final game may be, Game 3 will surely be one for the books, as the two teams will try and leave everything on the floor.
“It comes down to pagalingan, this game three. UP will be ready for whatever we have to bring, we will be ready with whatever they have to bring."