College of the Philippines arrested a two-game slide within the UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball event by knocking down the curtains on the Closing 4 hopes of Far Jap College, 86-78, on Saturday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Struggling two consecutive defeats from Nationwide College and top-seed La Salle, the semifinal-bound Combating Maroons bounced again behind captain Gerry Abadiano’s 19 factors and JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez’s 12 factors every.
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“Each time naman might sport na ganito, we needed to battle it out talaga till the tip,” coach Goldwin Monteverde stated. “It makes you proud as a coach na, particularly coming from dalawang talo kami, however seeing the guts of the gamers the way in which we began and even via the imperfections of the sport they have been attempting to execute at each ends.”
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball
Cagulangan additionally completed with seven rebounds with Aldous Torculas including 11 factors and 6 rebounds as UP remained the No. 2 seed after enhancing to 10-3 (win-loss) report.
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“Nagkataon lang na pumapasok yung tira ko and hinanap ako ng teammates ko. Nag-stick lang kami sa sistema na ginagawa namin,” Abadiano stated.
“Sa final shot na yun, na-feel ko lang yung tiwala ng teammates ko pati coaches nandun yung tiwala so kahit anong mangyari ma-shoot ko man o hindi yung bola pinagtitiwalaan nila ako,” Cagulangan stated.
It was a decent battle till the half earlier than UP unleashed a 20-7 run to open the third quarter to threaten draw back.
The Tamaraws refused to again down and responded with a late 16-5 rally capped by a protracted trey buzzer-beater heaved by FEU rookie Veejay Pre to remain within the sport.
READ: UAAP: La Salle clinches prime seed, beats UP once more
The Maroons stayed within the lead, bu Jorick Bautista sank three free throws and FEU lower the deficit, 81-78, till Cagulangan drained a well-recognized step again triple with 26.7 seconds left to close the doorways on the Tamaraws.
FEU missed the postseason for the third straight season after ending its first 12 months below head coach Sean Chambers with a 5-9 card, a two-win enchancment from final season’s 3-11 slate.
UP’s Gerry Abadiano, coach Goldwin Monteverde and JD Cagulangan after the victory over FEU. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/0a1tmJjlP0
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 16, 2024
With the Tamaraws out of the image, three groups remained within the hunt for the final two Closing 4 spots: the College of Santo Tomas, which is battling one other hopeful Adamson as of posting, and College of the East.
Quentin Millora-Brown contributed seven factors and 13 rebounds in his return after lacking UP’s second spherical matchup with the Inexperienced Archers because of the passing of his grandfather.
Bautista paced the Tamaraws with 16 factors as Janrey Pasaol contributed 15 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists. Pre capped his rookie stint with 15 factors, eight rebounds and three blocks whereas Gambian heart Mo Konateh put up a double-double with 11 factors and 16 rebounds.
Royce Alforque has exhausted his 5 enjoying years and wrapped his UAAP stint with 9 factors, 4 assists, two rebounds and a steal.
The Combating Maroons preserve the successful momentum as they strategy their ultimate elimination match in opposition to the Pink Warriors on Wednesday on the identical San Juan venue as UP awaits their Closing 4 pairing.