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MANILA, Philippines – For the third straight time in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament, the UP Fighting Maroons flexed their dominance after blowing out the NU Bulldogs, 78-60, at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, October 7.
Just about every UP player fielded by head coach Goldwin Monteverde contributed in a positive way, but none shone brighter than super rookie Francis Lopez, who churned out 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, and a staggering plus-minus of +34.
Known for his skyscraping dunks since his Ateneo high school days, the burly 6-foot-5 swingman gave fans a glimpse of his refined game, dropping crafty layups, sinking solid jump shots, and giving the same energy for defensive stops to help UP break away in the second half for win number three.
After the game, Monteverde praised his young ward’s desire to evolve his craft in more ways than what he’s used to.
“Regarding Francis being an all-around player, before we would think that he’s an athletic guy, talented,” he said in Filipino. “But really, in the years I’ve been with him, I really saw his value as a team player, seeing the floor, getting everybody involved, and at the same time, [working] on both ends.”
“Offense and defense, he really has a big impact for us.”
Lopez, an on-court high-flyer whose attitude is anchored to the ground off the hardwood, is just pleased that his perception is indeed solid with his mentors.
“Honestly, I don’t mind the stats, what matters is the team. You know, I wanna give big credit to the team and you know, I hope we can compete at that [level] and we can continue to defend. Most of the teams here are tough so we got to give our best in the remaining games,” he said.
“The job is not finished for us. You know, we have a lot to work on. This is just our third win and it’s just the start of the season. We’re really happy about today’s game but I mean, we’re moving on to the next game and hopefully we can get that win.”
Much like the nickname he has since abandoned, “LeBron,” Lopez is quickly growing into a player with no holes in his game and still so much potential untapped.
That combination of raw talent and firm work ethic is shaping up to a nightmare for all other teams as UP, in turn, lives the dream while it still can. – Rappler.com
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