MANILA, Philippines – UP dethroned Ateneo as the Fighting Maroons gave the Blue Eagles the boot by way of a 57-46 win in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, November 25.

Toting a twice-to-beat advantage, the top seed Maroons reached the championship round for the third straight edition and halted the Blue Eagles’ streak of six consecutive finals appearances behind reigning MVP Malick Diouf.

Diouf churned out 12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks as UP earned a crack at a second title in three seasons after ruling Season 84.

Ateneo failed to make the finals for the first time under head coach Tab Baldwin. 

Fourth quarter

• FINAL: UP advances to the UAAP finals for the third consecutive season after dethroning Ateneo, 57-46
• UP 57-46: Francis Lopez adds two more from the foul line
• UP 55-46: Francis Lopez likely seals the deal with a crafty layup
• UP 53-46: Joseph Obasa cleans up Chris Koon’s miss in transition
• UP 53-44: Gerry Abadiano steals and scores, plus the foul
• UP 51-44: Jared Brown stops Ateneo’s bleeding with a much-needed jumper
• UP 51-42: Janjan Felicilda walks into a three-pointer
• UP 48-42: Francis Lopez drains the long two
• UP 46-42: Geo Chiu drives hard and scores
• UP 46-40: Back-to-back baskets by Gerry Abadiano
• UP 44-40: Gerry Abadiano drills a jumper
• UP 42:40: Mason Amos scores again
• UP 42-38: Mason Amos goes 1/2 from the line

Third quarter

• END OF 3Q: Malick Diouf pours in 8 points in the third quarter as UP overtakes Ateneo, 42-37
• UP 42-37: Harold Alarcon rattles in a long two
• UP 40-37: Janjan Felicilda converts inside
• UP 38-37: Ian Espinosa nails the bonus free throw
• UP 38-36: Ian Espinosa lays it in over Luis Pablo, plus the foul
• UP 38-34: Aldous Toruclas soars high for a two-handed slam in transition
• UP 36-34: Aldous Torculas banks in a three-pointer
• ATENEO 34-33: Chris Koon feeds Kai Ballungay for the easy layup
• UP 33-32: UP regains the lead off another basket by Malick Diouf
• ATENEO 32-31: Malick Diouf scores off a putback
• ATENEO 32-29: Chris Koon responds with his own trey
• 29-29: CJ Cansino hits a tough triple off the glass
• ATENEO 29-26: Malick Diouf scores again inside
• ATENEO 29-24: Malick Diouf ends UP’s drought with a deuce
• ATENEO 29-22: Joseph Obasa cleans up Ballungay’s miss
• ATENEO 27-22: Chris Koon pulls up for a long two

First half performers

• Kai Ballungay (ATENEO) – 6 points, 3 rebounds
• Chris Koon (ATENEO) – 5 points, 4 rebounds
• Ian Espinosa (ATENEO) – 4 points, 4 rebounds
• Francis Lopez (UP) – 6 points, 5 rebounds
• Janjan Felicilda (UP) – 5 points
• Malick Diouf (UP) – 4 points, 8 rebounds

Second quarter

• HALFTIME: Ateneo stays ahead of UP with a 25-22 lead
• ATENEO 25-22: Mason Amos fakes and scores
• ATENEO 23-22: Ian Espinosa with back-to-back hits
• UP 22-21: Janjan Felicilda finally knocks down a three-pointer
• ATENEO 21-19: Ian Espinosa stops and pops from mid-range
• 19-19: Chris Koon ties the game with a long bomb
• UP 19-16: Aldous Torculas swishes two from the stripe
• UP 17-16: Janjan Felicilda gives UP its first lead with a layup in transition
• ATENEO 16-15: Jared Brown drills a free throw off a technical foul
• 15-15: Malick Diouf scores off a turnaround
• ATENEO 15-13: Geo Chiu splits his charities
• ATENEO 14-13: Francis Lopez hits two more from the line
• ATENEO 14-11: Jason Credo nails a corner trey
• 11-11: Francis Lopez ties the game with two free throws
• ATENEO 11-9: JD Cagulangan starts the second quarter with a teardrop

First quarter

• END OF 1Q: Ateneo leads UP in a low-scoring affair, 11-7
• ATENEO 11-7: Francis Lopez tips in his own miss
• ATENEO 11-5: Kai Ballungay with 6 points as he goes 2/2 at the line
• ATENEO 9-5: Mason Amos checks in and sinks a free throw
• ATENEO 8-5: Sean Quitevis floats one in
• ATENEO 6-5: Malick Diouf spins and scores
• ATENEO 6-3: Kai Ballungay with an easy two off an assist by Sean Quitevis
• ATENEO 4-3: Gerry Abadiano gets UP on the board with a triple
• ATENEO 4-0: Kai Ballungay swishes two free throws
• ATENEO 2-0: Chris Koon opens the scoring with a jumper

Starters

• ATENEO: Jared Brown, Sean Quitevis, Chris Koon, Kai Ballungay, Joseph Obasa
• UP: JD Cagulangan, Gerry Abadiano, Reyland Torres, Francis Lopez, Malick Diouf

Preview

After facing off in the finals in the past two seasons, the UP Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles continue their Battle of Katipunan rivalry – this time in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday, November 25, at the Araneta Coliseum.

UP, equipped with a twice-to-beat Final Four bonus, is coming off a resounding 79-57 win over the NU Bulldogs last Sunday, November 19, to lock the No. 1 seed, while Ateneo is fresh from its own 22-point demolition of the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 70-48, last Wednesday, November 22, to secure the fourth and final playoff spot. 

This highly anticipated showdown between the Fighting Maroons and the Blue Eagles will be their 13th matchup in three seasons as both their Seasons 84 and 85 finals series extended into a winner-take-all Game 3. 

UP ended its 36-year title drought and bagged the Season 84 crown, thanks to JD Cagulangan’s historic game-winning triple in overtime, while Ateneo exacted revenge in Season 85 for its fourth championship in five seasons. 

Interestingly, UP and Ateneo have also split their season series this year, with the Blue Eagles winning their first round matchup in overtime, 99-89, and the Fighting Maroons getting their payback in round two, 65-60.

Look for the usual suspects CJ Cansino, Malick Diouf, Francis Lopez, and Harold Alarcon to lead the charge for the Fighting Maroons as they look to dispatch the Blue Eagles in just one game and advance to the finals for the third straight season.

Meanwhile, count on Final Four first-timers Jared Brown, Mason Amos, and Joseph Obasa, as well as sophomore big man Kai Ballungay, to step up to the plate and not falter under the bright lights as the Blue Eagles aim to live another day and force a do-or-die Game 2. 

The Blue Eagles will be up for a huge challenge as they will play without a twice-to-beat playoff advantage for the first time in seven seasons under their head coach Tab Baldwin. 

Game time is 2 pm. – Rappler.com