It was an unlucky game day for the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons on Sunday, Oct. 19, as both squads fell short against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Archers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The men’s team saw its four-game winning streak end in last season’s finals rematch, while the women’s team extended its losing streak to four after a perfect 2-0 start earlier in the season.
Shot down by arrows
The UP Men’s Basketball Team’s (MBT) fantasy of a strong round one closer did not come to fruition after bowing down to the DLSU Green Archers with a close 69-72 finish in a thrilling Season 87 finals rematch.
Harold Alarcon scored 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals while Gerry Abadiano, Francis Nnoruka and Terrence Fortea scored 12 markers each to lead the Maroon effort.
“Magfo-focus lang kami sa kontrolado namin. Siguro, dun sa ganong mga bagay [referee calls], ‘wag na namin pansinin. Sa games naman siguro, kailangan lang namin mag-work as a team,” Abadiano said in an interview with Tinig ng Plaridel.
The team captain started strong with a 12-point first-quarter outburst, giving the Fighting Maroons a 27-20 advantage.
The undermanned Green Archers, however, were quick to recover, catching up with two-point shots made by Jacob Cortez, EJ Gollena and Earl Abradam to end the first half with a five-point cushion, 41-46.
With their backs against the wall, Francis Nnoruka bulldozed the Taft defense, scoring eight points in the third frame to flip the switch for State U and enter the final period with a 60-57 lead.
State U’s Terrence Fortea stepped up in the second half of the game, aiming to seal the win with a 12-point effort all from beyond the arc.
Knotted at 69-all after a tough Earl Abadam three-pointer, Vhoris Marasigan followed up a Mike Phillips miss from the charity stripes to hand DLSU a three-point advantage, 69-72, with just 13.1 ticks left on the clock.
In an attempt to force overtime play, Chicco Briones fired a three only to see it hit the iron rim as the Fighting Maroons end their four-game winning streak.
The Green Archers are now tied alongside the Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles at 4-3, fighting for the last spot in the top four.
Former Fighting Maroon Luis Pablo, all bloody, sustained from a heated play against his former team, led the green shirts with 14 points, six rebounds, one assist, a steal and a block while Jacob Cortez, Mike Phillips and EJ Gollena each contributed 12 markers.
Still in search
The UP Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) suffered the same fate as its male counterparts, extending its losing skid to four against the DLSU Lady Archers in a later game at the same venue.
With the loss, the Fighting Maroons now have a two-game losing streak against the Lady Archers dating back to round 2 of Season 87.
Right from the tip-off, DLSU established a strong defensive presence with Lady Archer Tricia Mendoza securing the opening possession, followed by an early jumper to put the Lady Archers on the scoreboard.
UP immediately responded with jump shots from Gilas Pilipinas standouts Camille Nolasco and Louna Ozar, along with a triple from veteran RR Solitario, sparking the Diliman-based squad’s 7-0 run.
Despite a highly contested showdown, the Fighting Maroons preserved their lead throughout the quarter, not allowing the Lady Archers to edge past them to end the first period with a slim one-point advantage, 19-18.
Both teams continued their relentless effort in the second quarter, putting up as many as 20 points apiece to keep the game close.
With five seconds left in the second quarter, Achrissa Maw converted a layup and later blocked DLSU’s Luisa Dela Paz attempt for a triple, helping UP maintain its narrow one-point lead at halftime, 39-38.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Lady Archers came out swinging in the third period and dominated the second half, scoring a total of 50 points in the final 20 minutes while UP was limited to only 20.
The maroon shirts struggled to keep up as the green shirts overwhelmed them on both ends of the floor, with Paulina Anastacio scoring 16 of her game-high 18 points in the second half alone.
DLSU led by as many as 29 points, 54-83, in the final minute to deny the Fighting Maroons a return to the win column, ultimately concluding the match, 59-88.
In the loss, Nolasco, Maw and Ozar led the scoring for the Diliman-based squad with 10 points each.
On the flip side, Anastacio topscored the Taft-based squad with 18 points, while Mendoza and Mica Camba chipped in 13 markers each.
Following their string of heartbreaking losses, both squads will face top-seeded opponents on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The women’s team aims to end the first round on a high note against the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses at 12 p.m., while the men’s team returns to the hardcourt to begin Round 2 against the National University Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m.
