MANILA, Philippines – UP finally solved the puzzle of mighty La Salle when the stakes were highest in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals, as the Maroons trounced the Archers, 73-65, at the packed Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 8.
The nail-biting win — UP’s fourth-straight finals Game 1 victory — puts the powerhouse Maroons program on the cusp of their first title since their historic Season 84 coup in 2022, and also snapped a four-game losing streak against the defending champion Archers in front of 16,202 fans.
Quentin Millora-Brown bullied his way to a career-high scoring mark of 17 points to go with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while fellow collegiate veteran JD Cagulangan added 13 points, 5 dimes, 4 boards, 2 rejections, and 1 swipe.
Incoming back-to-back MVP Kevin Quiambao detonated for 18 points in the first half alone, but froze horribly in the last two frames with just 1 point on 0-of-6 shooting to finish with a game-high 19 markers on a 5-of-15 clip overall, plus 11 rebounds and just 1 assist to show for a 6-turnover mess.
Barely surviving Quiambao’s first-half eruption with just a 41-37 deficit, UP came alive in the latter two periods, taking a 45-41 lead off an 8-0 swing capped by a Millora-Brown and-one conversion with 5:45 left in the third frame.
Knowing full well the comeback capabilities the Archers have as a proud title-holding group, the Maroons never let up from that point, taking a 54-50 edge into the fourth and ballooning the gap to as high as 11, 65-54, off a Millora-Brown hook shot to end an 11-4 surge midway through the frame.
La Salle only got within 4, 67-63, with 1:42 left in regulation off a Mike Phillips putback layup before captain Gerry Abadiano kicked the comeback door shut with a booming dagger triple at the 40-second mark.
“We know if we’re gonna play against La Salle, the defense is really key to win the game, and I felt in the second half, we had more intensity defensively. We communicated better. For me, it was a total team effort,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
“Offensively, for me, we moved the ball much better in the second quarter, and good thing that we sustained it until the second half.”
Phillips picked up the slack from Quiambao with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double with 5 assists, and 1 steal, as EJ Gollena fired 11 points, all in the first half.
UP aims to close out the series with a quick sweep in Game 2 on Wednesday, December 11, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores
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.
La Salle 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.
Quarters: 11-18, 37-41, 50-54, 73-65.
– Rappler.com