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| Ateneo head coach Louie Alas stared at UP's Jacob Bayla after the latter scored a buzzer-beating dunk that did not sit well with the former. UAAP Season 89 Media Team |
QUEZON CITY—University of the Philippines survived a pesky Ateneo de Manila University side, 82-74, to secure the first Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
The league-leading Fighting Maroons continued to roll, notching their seventh consecutive victory to improve to 9-2 and extend their Final Four streak to eight seasons, dating back to Season 81.
UP also claimed its eighth straight win over Ateneo, with the Blue Eagles last defeating their Katipunan neighbors on Oct. 22, 2023, during the first round of Season 86, 99-89.
“Always happy kasi syempre unang goal namin is to reach the Final Four. We’re very happy with this win today. Nabigyan kami ng challenge and credit to these guys on how they responded during the game when it really counts,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
However, the Fighting Maroons, who are enjoying their longest winning streak since stringing together eight consecutive victories in the Season 84 eliminations, had to work until the final minute this time around, a far cry from their dominant 94-75 first-round victory over the Blue Eagles.
With UP holding a 77-71 lead, Kieffer Alas had a golden opportunity to cut the deficit to three after drawing a foul on a three-point attempt. However, he converted just one of his three free throws to make it 77-72 with 2:32 remaining.
Jared Bahay then followed with a layup with 1:29 left, cutting Ateneo's deficit to just three, 74-77.
However, James Payosing answered with an uncontested layup with 53.3 seconds remaining, while Rainer Maga split his free throws on the ensuing possession to restore UP's six-point cushion, 80-74, with 46.3 seconds left. The Blue Eagles failed to score on the other end, allowing the Fighting Maroons to seal the victory.
With the outcome all but decided, tensions flared after Jacob Bayla went for a last-second dunk, drawing the ire of Ateneo head coach Louie Alas during the customary postgame handshake.
“Sa aming coaches, ‘yun kasi itong season, sobrang dikit-dikit ‘yung standing, so sinasabi ko sa kanila lagi na kung may tsansa at the end, try to make the basket; we never know kasi kung magkaroon ng tie. Wala naman kaming intention na mapasama ‘yung sitwasyon na ‘yun, pero siguro si Jacob naalala ‘yung ganon,” explained Monteverde.
Veejay Pre paced the Fighting Maroons with 16 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists, although he also committed six turnovers.
Maga chipped in 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Elliot Dimaculangan also finished with 13 points, all of which came in the third quarter as UP turned a 39-36 halftime deficit into a 64-57 advantage heading into the fourth.
Dikachi Ududo also provided a huge boost in the first half, helping the Fighting Maroons recover from an early 16-4 deficit. He finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and two blocks.
UP will look to extend its winning streak next Saturday when it takes on Far Eastern University at the Big Dome.
Meanwhile, Ateneo dropped to 5-6 but remained in fifth place, now sitting a game and a half behind third- and fourth-placed FEU and De La Salle University, both of whom hold 6-4 records.
Kieffer Alas led the Blue Eagles with 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Bahay added 13 points, six assists, and three rebounds.
Ateneo will look to snap its two-game losing streak on Wednesday when it faces a struggling Adamson University.
The Scores:
UP 82 — Pre 16. Maga 13, Dimaculangan 13, Ududo 10, Payosing 7, Bayla 5, Remogat 5, Yñiguez 5, Briones 3, Setevens 2, Palanca 2, Alter 1.
Ateneo 74 — Alas 14, Bahay 13, Espinosa 9, Tuano 9, Rogers 8, Roberts 7, Kapihe 6, Baruwa 4, Bongo 4, Espina 0, Leal 0.
Quarters: 13-20, 36-39, 64-57, 82-74.
