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All set for historic UAAP Finals between UP, La Salle

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="UP and La Salle are facing off in the UAAP Finals for the first time ever. UAAP Media." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/11/28/20231128-michael-phillips.jpg"/><figcaption>UP and La Salle are facing off in the UAAP Finals for the first time ever. <em>UAAP Media.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- The UAAP Season 86 men&#x27;s basketball Finals promises to be a historic affair, with University of the Philippines and De La Salle University meeting in the championship series for the first time ever. </p><p>UP has fulfilled expectations as the preseason favorite and dethroned defending champion Ateneo de Manila University in the Final 4 last Saturday to advance to the finals for the third consecutive season.</p><p>La Salle, meanwhile, is back in the championship round for the first time since 2017. The Green Archers are the league&#x27;s hottest team, having won their last nine games including a 97-73 demolition of National University in the Final 4, also last Saturday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/25/23/la-salle-dominates-nu-makes-uaap-finals-return">La Salle dominates NU, makes UAAP Finals return</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/25/23/up-dethrones-ateneo-books-uaap-finals-return">UP dethrones Ateneo, books UAAP Finals return</a></li></ul><p>Game 1 of the best-of-3 series is on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Tip-off is at 6:00 p.m.</p><p>For UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde, what matters is their preparation as they seek to give UP its second championship in the last three seasons.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s just a result of &#x27;yung hard work namin,&quot; he said of their achievements in Season 86 -- including being the No. 1 seed for the first time in the Final 4 era. &quot;Lahat naman nito, &#x27;di naman ito naka-planot.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Like I said, whatever comes through, we have to prepare just to fight over every challenges. Kung saan tayo nakarating ngayon, at least we&#x27;re thankful but it&#x27;s not yet done,&quot; he added.</p><p>La Salle head coach Topex Robinson has steered the Green Archers to the Finals in just his first season in charge and is determined to go all the way and give the Green and White its first UAAP men&#x27;s basketball crown since 2016. </p><p>&quot;La Salle is not an underdog. It&#x27;s just a matter of giving the players that freedom to really flourish and to be at their natural best,&quot; said Robinson, who will have in his corner the favorite for MVP honors in Kevin Quiambao.</p><p>&quot;Everybody from the start knows their natural roles. The clarity of roles was evident from the onset. Everybody knows that these guys will win games for us, and these guys will also lose games for us,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/05/23/uaap-kevin-quiambao-steers-la-salle-past-up">UAAP: Kevin Quiambao lives up to billing, steers La Salle past UP</a></li></ul><p>The Finals protagonists are familiar with each other, with Quiambao having been teammates with UP&#x27;s Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Janjan Felicilda, Reyland Torres, and Cyrill Gonzales during their days with the National University Bullpups -- under the guidance of Monteverde.</p><p>Meanwhile, graduating guards CJ Cansino of UP and Mark Nonoy of La Salle were former teammates at the University of Santo Tomas.</p><p>For La Salle&#x27;s Evan Nelle and UP&#x27;s JD Cagulangan, it is the continuation of their high school rivalry when they were with San Beda-Taytay and La Salle Green Hills, respectively.</p><p>Game 2 of the series is on Sunday, December 3 at the Araneta Coliseum. If necessary, a winner-takes-all Game 3 will be on Wednesday, December 6 still at the Big Dome.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/sports/11/28/23/who-will-ricci-rivero-root-for-in-uaap-finals-up-or-la-salle">Who will Ricci Rivero root for in UAAP finals? UP or La Salle</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2885969" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The UAAP Season 86 men's basketball Finals promises to be a historic affair, with UP and La Salle meeting in the championship series for the first time ever. 