S87 Basketball: UE-Adamson, La Salle-UP matchups set

Games on Sunday, October 6, 2024

(SM Mall of Asia Arena)

8 a.m. – AdU vs UE (JHS)

9:45 a.m. – DLSZ vs UPIS (JHS)

11:30 a.m. – AdU vs UE (Women)

1:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Women)

3:30 p.m. – AdU vs UE (Men)

6:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men)

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines aims for a seven-game sweep of the first round as it takes on defending champion De La Salle University in a rematch of last year's UAAP Collegiate Men’s Basketball Finals on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m.

The Green Archers clinched the UAAP title last season in a thrilling winner-take-all Game 3 against the Fighting Maroons. 

Relying on reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao and former Mythical Five member Evan Nelle, La Salle captured its 10th league championship after a historic comeback, winning the final two games of the series despite suffering a blowout loss in Game 1.

Their rivalry extended into the offseason as UP got the upper hand in the FilOil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup, defeating La Salle twice, including an impressive 20-point comeback in the championship game. 

Masters student-athlete Quentin Millora-Brown had yet to commit to UP during that tournament.

Now, as the first round of the season nears its end, both teams are once again at the top of the standings, with UP holding a perfect 6-0 record and La Salle close behind at 5-1.

UP has been on a title redemption tour, winning all six of their games by double digits. 

In contrast, La Salle stumbled against the University of the East in a narrow defeat but quickly rebounded with two consecutive wins. 

Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson expressed his eagerness for the highly anticipated match, acknowledging the valuable lessons his team can learn from facing their fierce rivals. 

“We are excited. UP is gonna be somebody that we’re gonna learn from. We never really call them our enemy but we always call them as our worthy rivals because their strength is our weakness,” Robinson shared.

“Kami rin excited kaming makalaban ang UP because ang sarap ng feeling ‘eh. I guess yung sinasabi nga ni Mike [Phillips] na there’s no guarantee if when we’re gonna face them again, we just wanna enjoy it and we just wanna compete against the best team in college,” he continued.

Statistically, La Salle leads the league in key areas through six games, including rebounds (51.33), assists (21.83), steals (8.67), and second-chance points (14.17). 

Quiambao has been a force for the Green Archers, averaging 15.83 points, 8.67 rebounds, 5.83 assists, and 1.33 steals per game.

On the other side, UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde emphasized the importance of staying focused amid the emotions of one of Philippine collegiate basketball’s biggest rivalries. 

He stressed that their preparation for La Salle would be the same as any other game.

“We’ll prepare for them just as we do for every opponent. Emotions are always part of the game, but our focus remains on executing the details and playing instinctively for the full 40 minutes,” Monteverde revealed.

UP has been dominant across multiple categories, leading the league in points per game (77.67), three-point percentage (32.5%), points in the paint (36.0), fastbreak points (12.33), turnover points (17.33), and bench points (44.83). 

They are fueled by lead floor general JD Cagulangan, who is averaging 13.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.

“Consistency across all four quarters is important. We’ve had games with strong starts but weak finishes, and vice versa. To improve, we need to value each possession and maintain our intensity throughout the game,” Monteverde concluded.

Earlier in the day, the University of the East Red Warriors will look to extend their winning streak to five games — a seven-year high in terms of streak — when they face the Adamson University Soaring Falcons at 3:30 p.m.

In the women’s division, the Lady Falcons seek their fifth win in seven outings as they battle the Lady Warriors at 11:30 a.m., followed by a matchup between the Fighting Maroons and the Lady Archers at 1:30 p.m., where UP aims to stay within striking distance of the top four.

In the junior high school division, the Junior Warriors hope to sweep the first round in an 8 a.m. clash against the Baby Falcons, while the Junior Archers face the Junior Fighting Maroons at 9:45 a.m. to close the round.

(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team