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UAAP: UP looks to close out Ateneo, seal back-to-back titles

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The Ateneo Blue Eagles battle it out against the UP Fighting Maroons during game 1 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on December 11, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/12/14/20221211-uaap-up-admu-finals-gc-0991.jpg"/><figcaption>The Ateneo Blue Eagles battle it out against the UP Fighting Maroons during game 1 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on December 11, 2022. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- The University of the Philippines (UP) has a chance to make history anew on Wednesday when they play the Ateneo de Manila University in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 85 men&#x27;s basketball finals.</p><p>After taking Game 1 of the best-of-3 series last Sunday, the Fighting Maroons look to close out their Katipunan rivals at the Araneta Coliseum. </p><p>Another victory will give UP back-to-back championships for the first time in school history. Moreover, they will have the distinction of winning two UAAP crowns in one year, having claimed the Season 84 title in May when they outlasted the Blue Eagles in a classic three-game series.</p><p>UP coach Goldwin Monteverde has warned his players to have the same approach to Game 2 and not get too caught up in their 72-66 triumph in the first game of the series, where they held off a late Ateneo charge.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/11/22/uaap-up-edges-ateneo-on-cusp-of-title-repeat">READ: UP edges Ateneo, on cusp of title repeat</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Kahit nanalo kami, we just watch and see what we can improve on in this game,&quot; said Monteverde. &quot;Siyempre, Game 1 pa lang &#x27;to. We have to focus doon sa susunod na game.&quot;</p><p>UP and Ateneo have figured in several close games this year already: the Season 84 finals was decided by a buzzer-beating three-pointer by JD Cagulangan in Game 3. In the first round of Season 85, UP won 76-71 in overtime, and Ateneo had to hold them off for a 75-67 win in Round 2. </p><p>Even Game 1 of the finals went down the wire as Ateneo nearly erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit before UP made enough big defensive plays down the stretch to stay ahead.</p><p>The Fighting Maroons are hoping that Game 2 will be comfortably in their favor.</p><p>&quot;I hope that we can put this away by a good margin,&quot; said Filipino-American forward Zavier Lucero. &quot;If we can avoid any heroics that&#x27;d be nice.&quot;</p><p>&quot;But whether it&#x27;s close or not, we gotta be ready for that and we gotta be poised and calm in that challenge and be able to come out on top no matter what. We got a great opportunity so we have to seize that,&quot; he added.</p><p>Ateneo, for its part, is determined to push for a decider but they know it will be easier said than done against a UP team that has had their number for most of the year. </p><p>&quot;We’re gonna watch tapes. We’re gonna try to get as much learning that we can from this game,&quot; Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said after Game 1. &quot;It’s a bit different now &#x27;cause finals na. Rest in between is important also. It’s gonna be a lot of mental adjustments not just physical for us.&quot;</p><p>The Blue Eagles have not lost back-to-back games since November 2017, when they were beaten by La Salle in the last game of the UAAP Season 80 elimination round before dropping their first Final 4 game to Far Eastern University.</p><p>Game time is at 6 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.</p><p>Ahead of the finals showdown, the UAAP will unveil the Mythical Team selection and the Most Valuable Player in the men&#x27;s division.</p><div><strong>UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.</strong></div><div><strong>Related video:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fsyguJD3u7o?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></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>

UP has a chance to make history anew on Wednesday when they play Ateneo in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball Finals.

UAAP: UP looks to close out Ateneo, seal back-to-back titles

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UAAP: UP looks to close out Ateneo, seal back-to-back titles

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 14, 2022 06:32 AM PHT

Read More:

basketball

UAAP

UAAP Season 85

UAAP basketball

Ateneo Blue Eagles

UP Fighting Maroons

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