Mga laro ngayon:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
11 a.m. – UST vs FEU-D (JHS Final Four)
1 p.m. – NU vs UST (Women Finals)
5:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men Finals)

SA WAKAS ay masusubukan na ng La Salle ang buong lakas ng University of the Philippines sa paglarga ng Game 1 ng UAAP men’s basketball championship ngayong Linggo sa Araneta Coliseum.

Winalis ng back-to-back title seeking Green Archers ang kanilang elimination round head-to-head laban sa Fighting Maroons, na hangad na makabawi mula sa kanilang dalawang naunang Finals losses makaraang wakasan ang 36-year title drought noong May 2022.

Subalit sumalang ang UP na wala si Quentin Millora-Brown sa second round, makaraang samahan ang kanyang pamilya sa United States dahil sa pagpanaw ng kanyang lolo noong nakaraang buwan. Hindi naman nakapaglaro si JD Cagulangan sa una nilang paghaharap dahil sa injury.

Nakahanda si coach Topex Robinson sa ibabato sa kanila ng Fighting Maroons sa Finals opener sa alas-5:30 ng hapon.

“Again, what’s obvious during those first two meetings was, you know, UP didn’t have a complete lineup. I guess, that’s one thing we haven’t seen,” sabi ni Robinson.

Napatunayan na ng Fighting Maroons ang kanilang halaga sa preseason nang gapiin ang Green Archers at ang kaya nilang gawin sa UAAP.

“Going back to our FilOil meetings, they beat us twice. That’s one thing that we have to remember. If they’re gonna be a complete team out there, they’re gonna be… Obviously, they came here as the No. 1 team. We’re just slowly catching up at the second spot,” ani Robinson.

“Again, in this Finals, it’s about how we’re gonna be prepared. We know UP is always gonna be all-out and they like to be the best that they could be. And this is just gonna make us better.

“It’s gonna challenge us and sabi nga namin we don’t really put so much on what the other team will do but we’re just gonna focus ourselves. And that’s what’s important for us,” dagdag pa niya.

Determinado sina reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao at Mike Phillips na iangat pa ang kanilang laro, habang magiging malaking tulong si Joshua David, na malaki ang inihusay ng laro ngayong season, lalo na sa kagipitan.
Isinantabi ni coach Goldwin Monteverde ang kabiguan ng Fighting Maroons sa nakalipas na dalawang seasons at nakatuon ngayon sa kasalukuyan.

“Sa amin naman, from the last season, ‘yung nangyari sa last season. We took that to heart sa first practice pa lang. We as a team, ‘yung goal namin is to take it one game at a time. Ngayon, nandito na kami. ‘Yan ang maganda sa Finals, mag-start kami ng 0-0. It’s a best-of-three series. We’re looking forward to preparing and playing our best,” sabi ni Monteverde.

Ang La Salle ay nagtatangka sa ika-11 korona, target na lumapit sa fourth-running Ateneo na may 12, habang umaasa ang UP na maisubi ang ika-4 na kampeonato sa kabuuan.