Games Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
8 a.m. – UPIS vs FEU-D (Boys)
10 a.m. – DLSZ vs UST (Boys)
12 noon – NU vs UST (Women Finals)
6 p.m. – UP vs DLSU (Men Finals)

MANILA — In a riveting face-off at the iconic Smart Araneta Coliseum, the University of the Philippines and La Salle are set to deliver a nail-biting conclusion to the UAAP men’s basketball tournament.

The previous games witnessed intense action, with the Fighting Maroons securing a historic 97-67 victory in the opener, only to face a resolute Green Archers who leveled the series with an 82-60 rout.

La Salle, fueled by their largest championship series win since 1998, is eager to replicate their dominance, while UP is determined to clinch the title after a 36-year hiatus.

The Finals decider, scheduled for 6 p.m., promises a packed arena at the Big Dome, buzzing with anticipation.

In a parallel showdown, the National University and the University of Santo Tomas vie for the women’s crown at 12 noon. UP, standing at 1-1 in Game 3 seeks redemption after losing their reign to Ateneo last December.

Coach Goldwin Monteverde is optimistic, putting aside the setback in Game 2, and looks forward to seizing a second chance at championship glory.

“Well, it is what it is kung ano nangyari today (Sunday). We’re not gonna make any reasons kung ano turnout ng game today, rather we’re gonna look inside us, kung ano dapat namin ginawa. Ang importante dito may Game 3 pa so nandoon pa yung chance namin. Yun lang, learn from it lang,” said Monteverde.

“It will count how to face challenges not alone, but to face challenges working together, helping each other out,” he added.

The Fighting Maroons started strong, racing to a 12-2 lead before the Green Archers used a strong second quarter to take control and never looked back.

This will be La Salle’s ninth Game 3 in the Final Four era – the most by any team in the league.  The Green Archers are 3-5 all-time, as their most recent Finals decider appearance ended in a loss to the Blue Eagles, 86-88, in 2017.

Gunning for his first collegiate coaching title, La Salle mentor Topex Robinson is bracing for what UP will throw at them in the finale.

“We know that it’s gonna be hard. Winning a championship is gonna be hard. Playing against the top college team in the country right now is gonna be hard. But sa amin, at the moment we just keep on enjoying that game, the game that we love, the game that has been good to us, and not shy away from the responsibility of the result of the ball game,” said Robinson.

The Green Archers hope to cash in that they are the only unbeaten team in Araneta Coliseum this season, winning all their six games. Game 3 is scheduled on December 6 at Araneta Coliseum.

The Fighting Maroons hope to get aggressive on the glass. Newly-minted season MVP Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips combined for 26 of La Salle’s 58 rebounds, 12 more than UP.

Even graduating guard Evan Nelle also helped in rebounding to offset his poor four-point output by hauling down 12 boards.

“We ride on the saying that ‘no rebounds, no rings,'” said Robinson.

Camille Clarin, the Lady Bulldogs captain who dropped 18 points in the series-tying victory, is looking forward to the do-or-die match, where if the first two games were a gauge it will go down the wire.

“Playing in Game 3 is unfamiliar territory for us but fighting for a championship is not,” said Clarin.

“We’re just excited for the opportunity that we live to fight another day. We’re not gonna let it slip away from us and we’re gonna do everything we can to make sure we get that championship and it starts tomorrow,” she added.

Coach Haydee Ong, meanwhile, will use their Final Four duel with the Fighting Maroons as a motivation for the Tigresses to annex their first title since 2006.

“I told the players in the locker room that we’ve been here already,” Ong said.

“It’s the same scenario as against UP. This Wednesday is a do-or-die game, so let’s see what will happen,” she added.

(ai/mnm)

Games Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
8 a.m. – UPIS vs FEU-D (Boys)
10 a.m. – DLSZ vs UST (Boys)
12 noon – NU vs UST (Women Finals)
6 p.m. – UP vs DLSU (Men Finals)

MANILA — The University of the Philippines remains plagued by the Game 2 curse.

La Salle asserted dominance in the second quarter and controlled the latter half, convincingly defeating UP, 82-60, Sunday (03 Dec 2023).

This victory forced another game in the UAAP men’s basketball Finals, captivating a crowd of 20,863 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Despite UP’s initial burst, securing a 12-2 lead with Malick Diouf’s consecutive baskets, La Salle adapted.

They weathered a 27-point onslaught in the first period, then strategically limited the Fighting Maroons to 11 points in each subsequent quarter, evening the series at one game apiece (1-1).

Once again, UP finds itself unable to clinch the series in Game 2, marking their fourth consecutive loss in such situations.

The decisive championship match is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the legendary Big Dome.

In the women’s division, National University disrupted the potential coronation of the University of Santo Tomas, winning 72-70 and pushing the series to a crucial Game 3. Camille Clarin’s stellar performance with 18 points and eight assists, along with Karl Pingol’s contribution of 14 points and five boards, thwarted the Tigresses’ bid to end a 17-year championship drought.

“Buhay pa kami. Buhay pa kami,” said NU coach Aris Dimaunahan. “Today’s mindset was just to stay alive, stay in the present. We don’t even think of Game 1, we don’t even think of Game 3. Our main focus is Game 2 only.”

Angel Surada scored the game’s biggest basket, a short jumper that gave the Lady Bulldogs a 72-68 cushion with 1:01 remaining.

Kent Pastrana, who was fouled in the next play and drilled both her foul line shots with 47.8 seconds left to cut UST’s deficit to 70-72, had a chance to become the hero but could not get the job done.

After Clarin uncharacteristically missed both free throws with 11.5 seconds left, the Tigresses had a shot of winning it all but Pastrana’s three-pointer from the left corner went short.

“We just had to remind ourselves why we do it, why we love the sport so much, and what’s really at stake. I think when we figured out why we’re doing it, that’s what gave us the heart to go out and execute until the last minute,” said Clarin.

In the high school boys’ basketball, Carl Manding scored the game-winning lay-up in the final 2.5 seconds as UST pulled off a narrow 82-81 win over Far Eastern University-Diliman.

The Tiger Cubs, who drew a game-high 25 points from Wacky Ludovice, survived a 37-point fourth quarter by the Baby Tamaraws to raise their record to 2-1.

Kieffer Alas posted his first triple-double of the season with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists as La Salle-Zobel joined UST and NU-Nazareth at 2-1 with a 100-76 dismantling of UP Integrated School.

Manding, JB Lim, and Kurt Velasquez each scored 10 points for the Tiger Cubs.

Bonn Daja had a double-double of 18 points and 11 boards while Waki Espina (16), Charles Dimaano (14), and Andrei Pabellano (12) also logged double-digit scoring for the Junior Archers, who led by as much as 27 points.

(AI/MNM)

Games Saturday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

11 a.m. – UP vs UST (Women Final Four)
2 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo (Men Final Four)
6 p.m. – DLSU vs NU (Men Final Four)

MANILA — The University of the Philippines and La Salle are set to leverage their twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four as they face lower-ranked opponents in Saturday’s UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The top-ranked Fighting Maroons will square off against defending champion Ateneo, currently in an unfamiliar position as the No. 4 squad, in another chapter of the “Battle of Katipunan” at 2 p.m.

On the other hand, the second-ranked Green Archers, on an impressive eight-game winning streak, will take on the No. 3 National University in the other Final Four matchup.

UP, boasting a league-best 12-2 record aims for its third consecutive Finals appearance and the fourth in the last five seasons.

La Salle, finishing with an 11-3 card highlighted by a second-round sweep, seeks to reach the championship stage for the first time since 2017.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs stumbled in the late stages of the eliminations, settling for third place at 10-4.

The Blue Eagles had a roller-coaster elimination round, concluding with an even 7-7 card. They secured their Final Four spot by defeating Adamson in a playoff last Wednesday, extending their streak to nine seasons.

Coach Goldwin Monteverde’s Fighting Maroons are on the verge of reclaiming the throne they lost in Season 85 late last year, continuing their journey with determination.

“I think sa start pa lang ng season, alam natin lahat ng teams very competitive,” said Monteverde, who steered UP in ending a 36-year title drought in Season 84.

“Getting here at this spot is just part of it pero alam naman natin na di pa tapos. Whatever we worked hard for, we just have to follow through on it. We just have to wait kung sino makakalaban namin and prepare for them.

 “It’s just a result of yung hard work namin. Lahat naman nito, di naman ito nakaplano. Like I said, whatever comes through, we have to prepare just to fight over every challenge. Kung saan tayo nakarating ngayon, at least we’re thankful but it’s not yet done,” he added.

Jared Brown, who shone in the Blue Eagles’ 70-48 victory over the Falcons, remains upbeat in their matchup with the Fighting Maroons.

“We have momentum coming into Saturday, all we have to do is follow what our coaches want to do and execute it as well as we can,” Brown said.

The Green Archers’ quest to end a seven-year title drought was boosted by their impressive elimination campaign under new coach Topex Robinson.

But for Mike Phillips, La Salle’s journey has just begun with its 72-69 conquest of fabled rival Ateneo.

“Malayo na, pero malayo pa,” said the 6-foot-8 Phillips. “Hopefully, we can use this momentum going into the Final Four.”

Victories by the Blue Eagles and the Bulldogs will send the Final Four to a decider on Wednesday.

(ai/mnm)

MANILA — La Salle has once again added to its impressive collection of achievements by emerging victorious in the inaugural Shakey’ Super League (SSL) National Invitationals championship. In a thrilling Game 3 showdown against Adamson on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, La Salle secured a 25-19, 25-22, 25-17 win.

The Lady Spikers demonstrated their prowess yet again, dispatching the Lady Falcons in a swift 89 minutes of play to complete a reverse sweep in the best-of-three championship series.

Following a heartbreaking five-set defeat in Game 1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-17, 25-27, 14-16), La Salle came back strong with a clinical performance in Game 2 (25-23, 25-12, 25-18), setting the stage for their dominant showing in the decisive match. The team exhibited remarkable teamwork and skill diversity to secure their victory.

Tournament MVP Shevana Laput led the charge with 13 points, comprising 11 hits and two blocks. She was one of four players to reach double-digit scores, as La Salle solidified its position at the pinnacle of the SSL after having previously dominated the UAAP last season.

Laput maintained an impressive finals average of 20.3 points, highlighted by a standout 30-point performance in Game 1, followed by an 18-point contribution in Game 2.

Contributions were not limited to Laput, as Thea Gagate (1st Middle Blocker), Amie Provido (2nd Best Middle Blocker), and Alleiah Malaluan (2nd Best Outside Hitter) each chipped in with 10 points. Their collective efforts epitomized La Salle’s supremacy in the 12-team SSL nationwide tournament, presented by Eurotel as the official hotel and Victory Liner as the office transport provider, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Assistant coach Noel Orcullo emphasized, “For us, exposure was the main goal here, but becoming champions is a bonus. It’s great because, to some extent, we identified areas for improvement that need adjustment before the upcoming UAAP season.” This victory was achieved even in the absence of UAAP Rookie-MVP Angel Canino.

Trailing 8-11 early in the first set, La Salle unleashed a decisive 10-1 surge, culminating in a Gagate block that propelled them to an 18-12 lead. This set the tone for the subsequent sets, where La Salle’s dominant play continued.

With a commanding 18-7 lead resulting from a Laput hit, the Lady Spikers endured a late rally by the Lady Falcons, holding on for a narrow 25-22 win thanks to crucial plays by Provido and Gagate.

From that point onward, La Salle maintained control and clinched victory with a confident 9-4 start in the third set. This triumph in the historic SSL tournament was also made possible with support from sponsors including Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Summit Bottled Water, Genius Sports, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken and Sauce Bar, and R&B Tea.

Despite an impressive Game 1 performance by Lucille Almonte, who scored 24 points for the Lady Falcons, Adamson settled for a commendable silver medal finish under the guidance of new coach JP Yude, following their third-place finish in UAAP Season 85.

Other notable awardees included Bernadett Pepito (Best Libero) and Angeline Poyos (1st Best Outside Hitter) from the University of Santo Tomas, which secured the bronze medal with a decisive 2-0 sweep against the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta.

Fans had the opportunity to catch all SSL matches live and on-demand through Plus Network Digital Media Services, CNN Philippines, Solar Sports Entertainment, and TAP Sports, which served as media partners for the event.

The historic National Invitationals, with the support of individuals like Boy Tuikinhoy of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., Alex Adeva of Northern Mindanao Volleyball Association of Coaches and Referees, and the San Juan Red Cross chapter, were also broadcasted live in all Shakey’s branches nationwide. (ai/mnm)

In a reversal of fortune, La Salle retaliated against Adamson during Game Two with a triumphant score of 25-23, 25-12, 25-18 at the FilOil EcoOil Center on Saturday, August 12.

La Salle’s victory extended its Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals Best-of-Three Finals series with Adamson into a pivotal third game.

Once again, Shevana Laput displayed her mettle by contributing 18 points, spearheading the Lady Spikers’ resurgence.

This impressive performance marked a rebound from their previous defeat of 25-22, 17-25, 25-17, 25-27, 14-16 last Wednesday.

Regrettably, this loss overshadowed Laput’s remarkable achievement of a career-high 30 points.

Backing up Laput, Amie Provido showcased her prowess with 13 points, propelling the match towards a climactic winner-take-all Game Three scheduled for Sunday, August 13, at the same venue. (ai/mnm)

Adamson U squad (Spin.ph photo courtesy)

MANILA — Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals 2023 perennial UAAP contenders La Salle and Adamson secured quarterfinal berths by convincingly defeating their opponents at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

La Salle, the reigning UAAP champion, triumphed over CESAFI runner-up University of Southern Philippines Foundation with a swift 25-14, 25-15, 25-19 victory in just 70 minutes.

Meanwhile, Adamson, the UAAP bronze medalist, achieved a similar result by blanking NCAA runner-up Lyceum, winning 25-17, 25-18, 25-22 in a 71-minute match.

La Salle’s Alleiah Malaluan played an instrumental role, amassing 13 points with 12 impressive hits, helping the team sweep Pool A in the historic SSL nationwide tilt. The event is presented by Eurotel as the official hotel and Victory Liner as the official transport provider, in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

In their earlier match, the Lady Spikers dominated the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, winning 25-11, 25-17, 25-12. Shevana Laput and Katrina Del Castillo provided valuable support, contributing 10 points each to the team’s success.

Despite their strong performances, La Salle isn’t complacent as they head into the knockout playoffs. Missing key players like UAAP Rookie-MVP Angel Canino and ace libero Justine Jazareno, they know they must continue to push their limits to achieve their goals in the tournament. (ai/mnm)

The 2023 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals commenced with a display of dominance as the UAAP champion, La Salle Lady Spikers and Enderun Colleges secured victories in straight sets in their respective opening matches at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

Despite missing UAAP Rookie-MVP Angel Canino and libero Justine Jazareno, the Lady Spikers proved their status as heavy title favorites by overpowering the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas with a convincing 25-11, 25-17, 25-12 victory in Pool A.

The match lasted a mere 81 minutes, and Thea Gagate, named UAAP’s Best Middle Blocker, led the way for La Salle with an impressive 12 points, combining eight hits and four blocks. Amie Provido also contributed 12 points, while Alleiah Malaluan and Shevana Laput added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

In another noteworthy match, Enderun Colleges from Luzon emerged victorious in Pool D by defeating Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) from General Santos City with a scoreline of 27-25, 25-22, 25-14. Althea Virnyce Botor and Erika Jin Deloria played pivotal roles, scoring 17 and 16 points, respectively, leading Enderun to an equally impressive win that lasted for 83 minutes.

The opening ceremony of the National Invitationals featured all 12 teams from NCR, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Led by ACES president Dr. Ian Laurel, Shakey’s general manager Jorge Concepcion, and CHED official Ana Dulce Yango, a simple parade introduced the participating teams.

Fans can catch all the SSL matches live and on-demand across various platforms, including Plus Network Digital Media Services, CNN Philippines, Solar Sports Entertainment, and TAP Sports, who are serving as media partners for the event.

The historic National Invitationals received support from various individuals and organizations, including Boy Tuikinhoy of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., Alex Adeva of Northern Mindanao Volleyball Association of Coaches and Referees, and the San Juan Red Cross chapter. Additionally, all Shakey’s branches nationwide are airing the matches live, allowing fans all over the country to be a part of this exciting sporting event.

(ai/mnm)