Mga laro ngayon:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
10 a.m. – UE vs UST (JHS Finals)
1:30 p.m. – UST vs NU (Women Finals)
5:30 p.m. – UP vs DLSU (Men Finals)

UMAASA ang University of the Philippines na matapos ang hindi nito nagawa sa huling dalawang UAAP men’s basketball Finals —ang tapusin ang serye at wakasan ang tinatawag na Game 2 curse.

Magmula sa kanilang breakthrough championship appearance noong 2018, ang Fighting Maroons ay 0-4 all-time sa Game 2s sa Final Four era.

Sa likod nina one-and-done center Quentin Millora-Brown at graduating guard JD Cagulangan, ang UP ay sumandal sa malakas na third quarter at nalimitahan si La Salle’s reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao sa isang puntos sa second half upang maitakas ang 73-65 panalo noong Linggo.

Handa ang Fighting Maroons sa inaasahang pagresbak ng Green Archers at sa anumang in-game adjustments na isasagawa ng defending champions sa Game 2 ngayong alas-5:30 ng hapon sa Mall of Asia Arena.

Makaraang makopo ang 2022 bubble championship na tumapos sa 36-year drought, isinuko ng UP ang titulo sa Ateneo sa isang rematch pagkalipas ng anim na buwan at natalo sa La Salle noong nakaraang taon makaraang mabigong masustinahan ang kanilang series-opening victories.

Batid ni coach Goldwin Monteverde na naka-move on na ang Fighting Maroons sa mga nagdaang kabiguan.

“We never naman dwell on the past no? So right now, as I said, part of the process of winning a championship is you know, winning Game 1.

So we got Game 1 right now so we’re gonna prepare for Game 2,” ani Monteverde.

“So we’re gonna do our best, lahat ng makakaya namin to get it, and when that game day comes, whatever comes our way, we’re gonna face the challenge there,” dagdag pa niya.

Umaasa ang UP na maging unang koponan matapos ng powerhouse 16-0 Ateneo squad noong 2019 na nagtala ng two-game Finals sweep.

Umaasa si Topex Robinson na maibabalik ng Green Archers ang kanilang sistema na naglagay sa Taft-based squad sa unahan sa eliminations.

“At this point, its just a matter of us gaining a learning from this experience. The only thing than i told the team, there’s a reason why this is a series you don’t win a championship by winning one game, you need two games,” ayon kay Robinson.

“So we still have a chance we’ve been in this situation before, we just have to keep on being positive and try to learn from this experience. Again that’s a tough team we played, we just have to slug it out in the end,” aniya.

Ang panalo ng Green Archers ay maghahatid sa serye sa Game 3 sa Linggo sa Araneta Coliseum.