SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines — The UP Fighting Maroons marched to their third straight UAAP men’s basketball finals after dethroning the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the Season 86 Final Four, 57-46, on Saturday, November 25, at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Maroons prevailed in their third straight playoff showdown with their Katipunan neighbors, which the two teams split in the two previous finals series.
UP will take on the winner between La Salle and NU in the other semifinal pairing, with the Green Archers holding the twice-to-beat advantage.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Malick Diouf showed the way for the top-seeded Maroons, dropping a double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds on top of 3 steals and 3 blocks.
Francis Lopez also contributed a double-double showing of 12 markers and 10 boards for the Maroons as the Blue Eagles missed the finals for the first time under head coach Tab Baldwin.
“Both teams, we just fought. I think the score says it all,” UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said after the low-scoring affair.
“Both teams just came prepared especially on the defensive end, both teams also struggled offensively,” he added.
The Maroons floundered in the first half with a paltry 18.4% field goal shooting, which saw Ateneo on top at halftime 25-22.
But UP found its mark in the third period, overtaking the Blue Eagles, 38-34, after 5 straight points from Aldous Torculas, 1:54 left in the quarter.
With the Maroons taking a 42-37 advantage heading to the payoff period, their defense stifled Ateneo to just 4-of-15 shooting in the quarter as UP nailed 6-of-12 field goals.
“We got it going in the third quarter, had a couple of bank shots from our players, but more than that, they just fought hard and were relentless until the final buzzer,” said Luanzon.
“That’s hats off to all the players.”
Chris Koon wound up as the lone double-digit scorer for the Blue Eagles with 10 points, while adding 8 rebounds in 37 minutes of play.
Kai Ballungay had 8 markers and 6 boards, as Ateneo snapped its finals appearances streak of six consecutive seasons.
The Scores
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.
Quarters: 7-11, 22-25, 42-37, 57-46.
– Rappler.com
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