UP ousts UST in roller-coaster Final Four escape; La Salle survives NU

MANILA, Philippines, December 4 ------ For the fifth straight season, the UP Fighting Maroons are back in the UAAP men’s basketball finals to defend their Season 87 crown after escaping and eliminating the gutsy UST Growling Tigers in a wild 82-81 finish at the Araneta Coliseum.

Cool as ice, veteran sniper Terrence Fortea drained the life out of the Tigers’ fightback with a booming, go-ahead triple with 48 seconds left in regulation to set the final score, as UP forward Francis Nnoruka blocked graduating star Nic Cabañero’s shot in the next possession to cling on to the one-point lead.

Cabañero had one last look at a fadeaway jumper, but missed the go-ahead bucket and what would be his final UAAP shot as Harold Alarcon literally ran out the clock by sprinting around the court to the delight of the UP faithful at the Big Dome. Ever-steady, Alarcon helped the Maroons weather the Tigers’ third-quarter rally with a team-high 22 points in as many minutes, built on 6-of-16 shooting and 10-of-12 from the line.

Nnoruka bucked a third-quarter left leg injury to finish with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, while the heroic Fortea added 8 points and a game-high plus-minus of +15. Cabañero ended his UAAP career with a game-high 24 points to go with 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, while third-year forward Gelo Crisostomo added 15 points and 7 boards in 21 minutes off the bench. Graduating guards Forthsky Padrigao and Kyle Paranada combined for just 16 points on a 5-of-23 clip as presumptive Rookie of the Year and Best Foreign Student-Athlete Collins Akowe tallied an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double with 6 assists and 3 blocks in a heartbreaking end to his freshman year.

Earlier, the stars aligned for the La Salle Green Archers as they not only got star guard Kean Baclaan back in time for the Final Four, but also rolled past the top-ranked NU Bulldogs with a 22-9 first-quarter romp on the way to an 87-77 finish to force a do-or-die bout on Saturday, December 6, still at Araneta. In his first appearance after a lengthy eight-game absence to an MCL injury, Baclaan tallied 19 important minutes off the bench and finished with 6 points and 2 assists. Meanwhile, his backcourt partner Jacob Cortez also made the most of his 21-minute leash with a game-high 13 points.

Captain Mike Phillips had yet another huge double-double of 12 points and 17 rebounds to go with 2 blocks and 1 steal, while the ever-clutch big man Mason Amos added 8 points, with his two made threes coming within the final 4:22 of regulation. Presumptive Mythical Five member Jake Figueroa led all scorers in the sorry loss with 20 points on 8-of-20 shooting, plus 10 rebounds and 4 assists, but also recorded 8 costly turnovers, including multiple errant passes in the last 4 minutes that could have helped NU’s last-ditch comeback attempt. Omar John was the only other double-digit scorer for the shell-shocked Bulldogs with 12 points and 5 rebounds as Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala scored 8 apiece.

The Scores

First Game

La Salle 87 – Cortez 13, Phillips 12, Gollena 11, Marasigan 10, Pablo 9, Macalalag 9, Amos 8, Abadam 6, Baclaan 6, Dungo 3, Nwankwo 0.

NU 77 – Figueroa 20, John 12, Enriquez 8, Manansala 8, Jumamoy 7, Francisco 6, Palacielo 6, Garcia 4, Santiago 2, Padrones 2, Parks 2, Dela Cruz 0, Tulabut 0.

Quarters: 28-17, 48-46, 67-54, 87-77.

Second Game

UP 82 – Alarcon 22, Nnoruka 19, Remogat 9, Fortea 8, Abadiano 8, Torres 5, Stevens 5, Alter 4, Yñiguez 2, Felicilda 0, Bayla 0, Belmonte 0.

UST 81 – Cabañero 24, Crisostomo 15, Akowe 11, Paranada 10, Padrigao 6, Llemit 6, Acido 4, Buenaflor 4, Estacio 1, Laure 0.

Quarters: 19-11, 43-36, 69-62, 82-81.

Source: rappler.com