La Salle, UP clash for UAAP glory
LAST year, De La Salle University recovered from a 0-1 Finals deficit to turn back the University of the Philippines and wrest the UAAP men's basketball championship trophy. Today, the Green Archers look to recreate that magic against the Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the Season 87 Finals to repeat as champions and claim their 11th overall title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. La Salle clashes with UP at 5:30 p.m., the match succeeding another decider between the National University Lady Bulldogs and the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses at 1 p.m. on the women's side. At one point, the Fighting Maroons seemed poised to cruise to their fourth overall championship and exact revenge on the Green Archers in Game 2 last Wednesday, leading by nine early in the fourth period. Kevin Quiambao, however, poured 11 of his 22 points in the final canto, including back-to-back treys down the stretch, and turned the match into a heart-stopping one. The league's back-to-back MVP also issued an assist to Mike Phillips, whose basket swung the lead to La Salle for good and delivered the final count, 76-75. Archers coach Topex Robinson expects both teams to go all out in the winner-take-all match. "I'm sure this is gonna be all out," said Robinson, whose team bowed in Game 1 on Dec. 8, 65-73. "Whoever wants it more will come out as champions. We're just happy that we're given this excellent opportunity. For sure, we're gonna work everything, we're gonna compete and then, given the chance, whatever happens, we're just gonna keep on pushing." If La Salle is looking to repeat their comeback bid last year, UP seeks to avoid losing Games 2 and 3 in the Big Dance for the third straight year. Clinching their first title in 36 years and third overall in Season 84, the Maroons faltered in Seasons 85 and 86, where they won the opener and lost the last two in each title series, falling to Ateneo and then to La Salle. Led by coach Goldwin Monteverde, UP aims to exorcise the ghost that haunted its title aspirations for the last two years, once and for all. "I don't know about the Game Two curse, but basketball is like that, right? Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The important thing for us is to bounce back knowing that the series is not yet over; we just have to keep our heads up," said Monteverde.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
LAST year, De La Salle University recovered from a 0-1 Finals deficit to turn back the University of the Philippines and wrest the UAAP men's basketball championship trophy.
Today, the Green Archers look to recreate that magic against the Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the Season 87 Finals to repeat as champions and claim their 11th overall title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
La Salle clashes with UP at 5:30 p.m., the match succeeding another decider between the National University Lady Bulldogs and the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses at 1 p.m. on the women's side.
At one point, the Fighting Maroons seemed poised to cruise to their fourth overall championship and exact revenge on the Green Archers in Game 2 last Wednesday, leading by nine early in the fourth period.
Kevin Quiambao, however, poured 11 of his 22 points in the final canto, including back-to-back treys down the stretch, and turned the match into a heart-stopping one.
The league's back-to-back MVP also issued an assist to Mike Phillips, whose basket swung the lead to La Salle for good and delivered the final count, 76-75.
Archers coach Topex Robinson expects both teams to go all out in the winner-take-all match.
"I'm sure this is gonna be all out," said Robinson, whose team bowed in Game 1 on Dec. 8, 65-73.
"Whoever wants it more will come out as champions. We're just happy that we're given this excellent opportunity. For sure, we're gonna work everything, we're gonna compete and then, given the chance, whatever happens, we're just gonna keep on pushing."
If La Salle is looking to repeat their comeback bid last year, UP seeks to avoid losing Games 2 and 3 in the Big Dance for the third straight year.
Clinching their first title in 36 years and third overall in Season 84, the Maroons faltered in Seasons 85 and 86, where they won the opener and lost the last two in each title series, falling to Ateneo and then to La Salle.
Led by coach Goldwin Monteverde, UP aims to exorcise the ghost that haunted its title aspirations for the last two years, once and for all.
"I don't know about the Game Two curse, but basketball is like that, right? Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The important thing for us is to bounce back knowing that the series is not yet over; we just have to keep our heads up," said Monteverde.
