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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Maroons in UAAP finals after 32 years

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University of the Philippines outlasted Adamson in a game for the ages, pulling off a pulsating 89-87 overtime victory to reach the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ Finals for the first time in 32 years in front of a loud and predominantly Maroon-clad crowd at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

READ: UP Fighting Maroons advance to Final Four

THUMPING WIN IN 32. Jun Manzo of UP Maroons dribbles past Eggie Boy Mojica of Adamson Falcons in the two schools’ thrashing duel Wednesday which enabled the Maroons to reach the UAAP Finals for the first time in 32 years. Lino Santos

Skipper Paul Desiderio delivered the biggest baskets of his career in crunchtime, none bigger than UP’s last five points in overtime, including the game-clinching fadeaway basket against Adamson team captain Sean Paul Manganti to finally put the Maroons in the game’s biggest stage beginning 3 p.m. Saturday against the waiting finalists Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Mall of Asia Arena.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Maroons formalized their first trip to the UAAP Finals in over three decades, tasted for the last time by the Katipunan-based team in 1986 with a legendary team led by Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc and coached by Joe Lipa. 

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That team eventually won the title.

As for this group, mentored by Bo Perasol and bannered by UAAP Most Valuable Player Bright Akhuetie, the magical journey isn’t finished. Not yet.

 

Maroons in UAAP finals after 32 years
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons fans screaming their lungs out.

 

“We’ll enjoy this first, but tomorrow, we’re going to sit down and think what we have to do for us to have a chance against Ateneo,” said Perasol, whose wards overcame the twice-to-beat advantage of the second-seeded Falcons to earn a shot at the mighty top-seed and reigning champion Ateneo.

The Maroons, who played in their first semifinal stint in 21 years, saw their 16-point lead in regulation dwindle to 78-75 following a barreling shot by Adamson’s Cebuano guard Jun Manzo, before Jerom Lastimosa silenced the sea of Maroons with a game-tying three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left to force the five-minute extension. 

“After that triple by Lastimosa that sent the game into overtime, it took away the spirit from us. I was already thinking, mananalo pa ba kami?” asked Perasol.

Feeling confident after that massive shot, Lastimosa buried a second triple in the overtime period to give the Falcons six-point lead at 84-78, with the Maroons’ hold on the game slowly slipping from their hands.

But Desiderio, the lone remnant from the UP team that went 0-14 in the 2013 season, came to the rescue of the Maroons by sinking a triple and the fadeaway shot that shattered the game’s last deadlock at 87-87 to turn the tides in favor of UP.

The Falcons, who also lost Game 1, could have won it from there, but Lastimosa bricked his three-point attempt when it mattered the most, with Maroon Diego Dario hauling the rebound.

“We could have already given up. I told myself that if I cannot stand for my team, if I cannot be confident for my team, if I cannot believe in my team, who else would believe?”¿ said a teary-eyed Perasol. “We made it. It wasn’t without hard work, it wasn’t without tears and challenges. I know that this team is going to go through it.”¿

The Maroons were by Juan Gomez de Liano, who had a career-high 30 points, while Desiderio plucked 11 rebounds and unloaded 16 points, including a triple in the last 41.8 seconds off JD Tungcab’s pass to put the Maroons in front in the extra time, 87-85. Akhuetie tallied 13 points and 17 rebounds for the Maroons.

Lastimosa, who had 17 points, kept the Maroons frustrated after he answered Desiderio’s triple with two charities for an 87-all tie, with 27.1 seconds to go.

“Parang ang hirap isipin na lalaban pa kami for the next five minutes. But you know, these guys refused to give up. Like Juan, Bright. They were just too tired. But, when I looked at our opponents, they were also tired, said Perasol

Jerrick Ahanmisi banged in 20 points for the Falcons, who missed their chance to return to the finals after making an attempt in 2011. He was backed by Papi Sarr had 16 points and 15 boards.

Ahanmisi left the court with cramps on his left thigh in the final 58 seconds with the count tied at 84-all, after he had a run-in with Gomez de Liano and Akhuetie during a screen.

The scores:

UP (89) — Gomez de Liaño Ju. 30, Desiderio 16, Akhuetie 13, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 8, Tungcab 6, Prado 6, Dario 5, Manzo 4, Jaboneta 1, Lim 0, Vito 0.

AdU (87) — Ahanmisi 20, Lastimosa 17, Sarr 16, Camacho 10, Pingoy 7, Manganti 6, Magbuhos V. 6, Espeleta 2, Mojica 2, Bernardo 1. Quarterscores: 26-16, 51-42, 64-67, 78-78, 89-87

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