The UP Fighting Maroons clinched a hard-fought win against the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, 72-69, at the Mall of Asia Arena on April 23. This victory grants them a Final Four berth for the third consecutive UAAP season.
UP joins undefeated league leaders Ateneo Blue Eagles as the first two teams to lock in their Final Four slots with four games remaining in the league’s elimination stage.
Both teams caught fire at the start of the game with equally impressive scoring displays. The heated back-and-forth affair in the opening quarter saw five lead changes and three deadlocks, with State U taking a narrow one-point lead, 18-17.
The game shifted gears in the second frame as UP went on an explosive 24-point shooting spree to take control of the game. The maroon shirts’ fast-paced scoring exploits led by Carl Tamayo was on top of a solid defensive stance by Malick Diouf. This combo gave the Fighting Maroons a 42-31 edge at halftime.
DLSU picked up the pace on both ends of the court to neutralize UP’s offensive surge. But as the Green Archers were heating up ahead of the fourth quarter, State U relied on their firm defensive stance to maintain a seven-point gap, 56-49.
In the closing stages, the two title contenders refused to back down and traded huge scoring runs up to the final buzzer. UP’s seven-point run in the last two minutes was quickly matched by a 10-point counter charge from DLSU.
With a two-point lead in the last eight seconds, Ricci Rivero split his two free-throws to give the Green Archers one last chance to tie the game. But the green shirts failed to convert a potential game-winning attempt to hand UP its ninth league win.
UP Men’s Basketball Team players Carl Tamayo and Ricci Rivero, with head coach Goldwin Monteverde face the media after their win over DLSU on April 23.
Rookie standout Carl Tamayo was a force to be reckoned with for State U with 23 big points and 11 rebounds. Malick Diouf’s aggressive defense racked up 18 rebounds and 15 points to lead UP’s valiant charge to the Final Four.
Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde heaped praise on the team’s on-court progress following their streak-ending defeat to the Adamson Soaring Falcons.
“This game namin compared sa last, very different. ‘Yung ball movement from the start we were sharing the ball, hitting the open man. Yung mga things na we’re really working on, nakita namin kanina,” Monteverde said.
The race to secure the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four continues for State U as they take on the University of the East Red Warriors on April 26.
QUARTER SCORES: 18-17, 42-31, 56-49, 72-69
