With only two games left in the elimination rounds, the University of the Philippines (UP) Basketball Teams are heading toward different trajectories this Season 88.
After winning against Adamson University, the men’s team is officially assured of a Final Four spot, sitting second in the rankings, while the women’s squad is still in contention for a semifinals berth.
Not this time
Although a semifinal spot is already in the bag, the UP Men’s Basketball Team (MBT) knows one thing for sure: complacency has no place in its quest for a back-to-back championship.
The UP MBT avenged its early-season setback after pulling off a 70-65 escape act over the Adamson Soaring Falcons to secure its seventh consecutive Final Four spot on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Fighting Maroons now hold the second spot in the standings with a 9-3 record to boost their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage.
Reyland Torres, one of the so-called “Maroon 5,” made his presence felt in crunch time, scoring six of his seven total points in the fourth quarter to secure their victory against the San Marcelino-based squad.
“Start kami sa practice. Nag-ready kami [nang] maayos [tapos] tiningnan namin ‘yong mga ginagawa ng Adamson. Thankful kami na nadala namin sa game,” Torres told Tinig ng Plaridel.
The Fighting Maroons previously suffered a narrow loss to the Soaring Falcons in Round 1, resulting in a two-game skid — their worst start since Season 79, when they dropped their first three matches.
Determined to turn things around, State U started off strong in the opening frame, dominating both ends of the court en route to a 20-8 lead.
While the Soaring Falcons outscored the Fighting Maroons in the next three quarters, with a combined total of 57 points compared to UP’s 50, they were unable to steal the lead from State U, which had built a strong advantage with its dominant first-quarter scoring spree.
Francis Nnoruka stood tall anew, logging his fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, along with two blocks and a steal.
Team captain Gerry Abadiano, who also scored 16 points in the win, shared that their goal goes beyond simply securing a spot in the semifinals, as they are aiming for a back-to-back championship.
“Goal talaga namin is makapasok sa Final Four and makuha ‘yong championship. Pero ‘yon nga, sabi namin kanina na hindi pwede kami makampante. Marami pa kami kailangan i-improve,” the team captain said in the post-game interview.
On the flip side, Ray Allen Torres led the Soaring Falcons’ scoring efforts with 23 points, two rebounds and one assist.
Not the end
The climb to clinching a Final Four spot just got even steeper.
With two games left in Round 2, the UP Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) continues to find the momentum to strengthen its bid for a semifinals spot, after being caught by the claws of the Adamson Lady Falcons via a narrow 65-69 loss in a later game at the same venue.
The Fighting Maroons, who won against the Lady Falcons in Round 1 with a slim three-point advantage, fell short in their second-round rematch. They now stand with a 3-9 record.
Achrissa Maw led the scoring output in the opening frame, chipping in six of her 10 points, while Kaye Pesquera and Nolasco drilled triples to end the quarter, 20-23.
The San Marcelino-based squad capitalized on Cheska Apag’s 11-point outburst in the second period to head into the halftime break with a five-point advantage, 28-33.
Riding the momentum, the Lady Falcons established their biggest lead in the third, 45-57, after a trifecta from Cris Padilla and a free throw from Jam Meniano.
Determined to turn the tide, the Diliman-based squad flipped the switch in the final quarter with a 16-5 run bannered by backcourt duo Camille Nolasco and Louna Ozar to trim its deficit to just one, 61-62.
But Adamson stayed poised and UP ultimately failed to close the gap.
Nolasco put up a valiant effort for State U and totalled 19 points, five rebounds and one steal in the loss. Meanwhile, Ozar chipped in 16 markers, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
On the other baseline, Kemi Adeshina led the Lady Falcons with 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one block and a steal, while Apag contributed 17 points, two assists and four steals.
With two remaining games left in the eliminations, the MBT will aim to gain a twice-to-beat advantage while the WBT will look to pull off one big upset to keep its Final Four hopes alive as it goes up against Katipunan rivals Ateneo Blue Eagles on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
