Repeat or revenge?

The war for the UAAP men’s basketball championship is down to one last battle and at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight, Season 87 will come to a climactic close. Either La Salle or UP will emerge the king of the pack after 62 games to determine who sits on the throne and there can only be one.

The Archers and Fighting Maroons are clearly head and shoulders above the rest. They finished the double round elims ranked No. 1 and No. 2 then took care of business in the semis without availing of a second game on a twice-to-beat advantage. In Game One of the Finals, UP came back from a four-point halftime deficit to down La Salle, 73-65. In Game Two, the Archers rebounded from an eight-point hole with 5:22 left to even the series, 76-75. For La Salle, the goal is to repeat what the Archers did last year, beating UP two in a row after dropping Game One of the Finals. For UP, it’s about revenge. The Maroons are out to erase the nightmare of last campaign.

There is pressure to win on both sides. The crowd noise will be deafening when the action begins. Nothing is more spirited than fighting for your school. In Game Two last Wednesday, the tension was sky-high in the last 1:12 with La Salle on top, 76-75. MOA security had already brought out the cordon to prepare for the championship celebration in case UP won. In those last 1:12 minutes, neither team scored. Only one field goal was attempted and it missed at the horn. There were eight flubbed free throws and three turnovers leading to the end. La Salle outscored UP, 22-13, in the fourth quarter and clanked seven charities compared to UP’s five. UP was 0-of-6 from three and La Salle, 4-of-6. The Archers had more assists, 5-1, more steals, 4-0, and less turnovers, 2-6, while the Maroons compiled more blocks, 3-0, and more rebounds, 11-9.

Game Two could’ve gone either way. UP took 44 percent of its shots from three, draining nine while La Salle buried six, attempting 32 percent from deep. La Salle dominated the interior, grabbing more boards, 45-37, and scoring more points in the paint, 34-24. UP capitalized on La Salle’s 17 miscues to tally more turnover points, 16-9, and racked up more transition points, 15-8. The Archers’ bench outscored UP’s relievers, 35-11, with Kevin Quiambao contributing 22, 11 in the fourth quarter. La Salle hit a higher clip from the field, .462 to .368, and notched more assists, 19-12. 

High school teammates JD Cagulangan and Josh David are playing their final collegiate game. Both will exit in a blaze of glory, no matter which team wins. They deserve credit for playing their hearts out as role models throughout their UAAP careers. Also finishing their varsity eligibility are Quentin Millora-Brown, Lian Ramiro and Isaiah Phillips. First-timers in the Finals are Brown, Jacob Bayla and Dikachi Udodo for UP and for La Salle, Ramiro, Henry Agunanne, Ethan Alian, Doy Dungo, Alex Konov, Vhoris Marasigan and Matt Rubico.

How the coaches respond to  what Game Three brings will be critical. Expect adjustments and counter-adjustments in matchups, schemes, tactics and rotations. La Salle coach Topex Robinson is backed by Caloy Garcia, Gian Nazario, Mon Jose, Oliver Bunyi and JB Sison while UP mentor Gold Monteverde is supported by Christian Luanzon, Egay Macaraya, Eric Gonzales and Tom Chua. While the rivalry has been bitter and intense from coaches down to players, let’s hope there will be no rancor, only handshakes, when the smoke clears. Tears will be shed, in joy or frustration, but let’s remember, regardless of the outcome, everyone will be better from this experience of a lifetime.