A foul-plagued UP found themselves on the losing end last Wednesday in front of a 20,000-strong crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum as Ateneo rebounded to stretch the championship series to a decider.
Graduating Fil-Am forward Zavier Lucero had a double-double outing with 14 points and 11 rebounds to help the maroons gain the upper hand in the best-of-three championship series.
Facing a gallant NU stand in the final frame, State U displayed championship poise in crunch time to mount an 11-0 surge and secure their spot in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals.
The men’s team fumbled an all-important matchup for the top seed, while the women’s squad recorded a 27-point blowout to cap their UAAP Season 85 campaign.
The men’s team is now one win away from securing the top spot in the league standings. Meanwhile, the women’s squad dropped out of Final Four contention after taking its eighth loss in 13 games.
The pair of losses effectively denied the men’s team an outright twice-to-beat advantage entering the Final Four and the women’s squad, a crucial three-game win streak.
With last weekend’s results, the men’s team secured the first Final Four berth this season and its fourth straight semis appearance in the tourney. Meanwhile, the women’s squad arrested a three-game losing streak to remain in the hunt for a Final Four spot.
The top-seeded men’s team is now two wins away from booking a return trip to the semifinals. Meanwhile, the women’s squad needs a breakthrough win in their next assignment to keep themselves in the Final Four race.