The UP Fighting Maroons draws first blood in the UAAP Finals after scoring an impressive 97-67 triumph over the DLSU Green Archers at the Mall of Asia Arena. Using stellar two-way play to control the important areas of the game, the Fighting Maroons ran away with the lead in the second half and never looked back, leaving the Green Archers looking for answers. Naveen Ganglani reports.
Full story: https://www.rappler.com/sports/uaap/finals-men-basketball-game-results-up-fighting-maroons-la-salle-green-archers-november-29-2023/
Full story: https://www.rappler.com/sports/uaap/finals-men-basketball-game-results-up-fighting-maroons-la-salle-green-archers-november-29-2023/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Game one goes to the Fighting Maroons. Good evening everybody. This is Naveen Ganglani reporting to you from the Mall of Asia Arena for Rappler.com
00:07 We read you see with this University of the Philippines score a monumental game one win against De La Salle University in the UAAP
00:15 Season 86 men's basketball finals UP won 97 to 67 30 points their largest lead of the game
00:22 It was the most dominant win by a team in game one of the UAAP finals since the final four era
00:28 Of the UAAP. How did they do that? Well UP controlled many areas of the game. They out executed La Salle
00:35 They outplayed La Salle. They had more energy
00:37 They played with more effort from start to finish UP played like the better team and the stat sheet and the final score
00:44 Reflect that fact Harold Alarcon led the way for the Fighting Maroons with 21 points
00:49 Francis Lopez had 15 points and 11 rebounds JD Cagulangan with 11 points
00:54 Jerry Abadiano finished with 10 points Aldous Torculias one of the young standouts of UP
00:59 9 points and 10 rebounds Malik Diuf despite facing foul trouble finished with 9 points and
01:05 15 rebounds overall UP out rebounded La Salle 55 to 45 and forced the Green Archers to 18 turnovers
01:13 Which led to a 24 to 2 points off turnovers advantage for University of the Philippines
01:20 Bench points also went UP's way 41 to 22 points in the paint were even 40 to 40
01:26 But second chance points UP won
01:28 15 to 6 leading the way for DLSU was Michael Phillips with 19 points and 9 rebounds and 7 of 11
01:35 Shooting it was a close affair in the first quarter
01:38 But UP built a double-digit lead going to halftime thanks to a buzzer beating 3 by JD Cagulangan in the early moments of the third
01:45 Quarter Francis Lopez took over with 9 points to extend UP's lead and they did not look back the rest of the way
01:52 What will happen in game 2?
01:54 Well for coach Goldwyn Monteverde of the UP Fighting Maroons
01:58 He wants his team to stay in the present tonight
02:00 They will watch film of the game and look at areas they can even improve on further
02:05 The players know that the job is not done
02:07 They want to finish the series in game 2, but they know that La Salle will come in motivated trying to win the finals
02:14 But first they will have to do that by tying the series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum
02:19 Despite the dispiriting loss the Green Archers feel like they still have a chance
02:23 Evannelli said after the contest that he feels he can play better
02:28 He can avoid foul trouble and he and his teammates can even up the series. That was the same
02:33 Idea that was reflected upon by the Phillips brothers Ben and Mike after the contest saying they still think they have a chance
02:40 They still think they can compete with UP and match them with their intensity, but can they do it?
02:46 Well, the Fighting Maroons have proven that once they get off to an early lead, it could be dangerous for their opponents
02:52 So will La Salle be able to contain them in the next matchup between both teams?
02:56 If UP beats La Salle then UP will end up winning two
02:59 UAAP men's basketball titles in consecutive years
03:03 They won in season 84 against Ateneo and they would win in season 86 against La Salle if they can close out the series
03:09 That means after 36 years without the UAAP men's basketball title
03:13 UP could end up with two championships by beating arguably the two dominant teams of the UAAP Final Four era
03:20 Of course, that's not a certainty just yet. La Salle also is looking for a first UAP men's basketball title since
03:27 2016 it's been a while since the Green Archers have held up that trophy to do that
03:31 They will now have to win two consecutive games against UP. Can they do it?
03:37 It's tough, but anything can happen in the finals and we shall see
03:41 Until Game 2. This is Navin Ganglani reporting to you for Rappler. Thanks for joining us
03:46 (audience laughing)