THE TIME has come for the two behemoth squads to face-off, as the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers will have their finals rematch, Sunday evening.
There’s no better way to close the first round of the UAAP Season 87 than with a finals rematch between UP and DLSU, who will meet for the first time this season after last meeting in Game 3 of the championships last year.
The Fighting Maroons are geared for a 7-0 campaign finish in the first round, while the defending champions Green Archers will try to stop the opposing squad and hand them their first defeat.
The big dogs
Both of these teams have previously faced the UST Growling Tigers and had a close contest in the first half. Nonetheless, UP defeated them 81-70, while DLSU won convincingly by 22 points, 88-66.
Given that the first round concludes tonight, both of these teams are at the top of the league rankings. The Fighting Maroons have a perfect 6-0 record, while the Green Archers are just one loss behind at 5-1.
UP and La Salle have been formidable opponents this season, topping their respective categories. However, the former has been dominant in a variety of categories.
UP currently leads the league in points per game (77.67), three-point percentage (32.5%), points in the paint (36.0), fastbreak points (12.33), turnover points (17.33), and bench points (44.83).
La Salle, the defending champions, continues to have a more consistent performance, topping the league in rebounds (51.33), assists (21.83), steals (8.67), and second-chance points (14.17).
Lead the team
Despite boasting powerful lineups this season, full of offensive firepower, both sides have their respective leaders who continuously contributed and carried the entire squad through the first round.
For DLSU, reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao has been the Green Archers’ anchor, averaging 15.83 points, 8.67 rebounds, 5.83 assists, and 1.33 steals per game.
Meanwhile, Diliman’s floor general and outgoing JD Cagulangan has been the driving force behind the team’s offense, averaging 13.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Taft, or Diliman?
La Salle suffered an early surprise defeat to the UE Red Warriors, but immediately bounced back with back-to-back victories, keeping their ambitions for the top slot alive.
For Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson, the squad is excited to face UP and confront the rival side since it will be a valuable learning opportunity for his own team.
“We are excited. UP is gonna be somebody that we’re gonna learn from. We never really call them our enemy but we always call them as our worthy rivals because their strength is our weakness,” Robinson shared.
“Excited kaming makalaban ang UP kasi ang sarap ng feeling ‘eh. I guess yung sinasabi nga ni Mike [Phillips] na there’s no guarantee if we’re gonna face them again. We just want to enjoy it and we just wanna compete against the best team in college.”
Given that emotions may run high when the Fighting Maroons face DLSU, UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde will keep his team focused and prepared as they enter one of the most heated rivalries in college.
“We’ll prepare for them just as we do for every opponent. Emotions are always part of the game, but our focus remains on executing the details and playing instinctively for the full 40 minutes,” Monteverde emphasized.
“Consistency across all four quarters is important. We’ve had games with strong starts but weak finishes, and vice versa. “To improve, we need to value each possession and maintain our intensity throughout the game.”
UP won the FilOil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup by defeating La Salle twice, including a dramatic 20-point comeback in the finals to take the preseason title.
Will La Salle be able to knock UP down and hand them their first loss? Or will the Fighting Maroons extend their stunning run to the end of the first round? All to see once the game begins at 6:30 PM at the MOA Arena.
