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UP completes comeback vs La Salle to retain FilOil championship

Article (news)

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718195246724FullSizeRender.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Back-to-back FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup Champions UP Fighting Maroons. Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.</div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"> </div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px">MANILA (UPDATED) — The University of the Philippines asserted its mastery of De La Salle University in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup. The Fighting Maroons retained the championship by defeating the Green Archers, 69-66, during their Finals faceoff, Wednesday evening in San Juan City. JD Cagulangan led UP’s 20-point comeback with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Gerry Abadiano contributed 12 markers and one board. “Nung halftime, sabi sa amin, &#x27;di kami nakaka-shoot and nawawala rin yung depensa namin. Buti pagbalik namin ng second half, binounce back namin yun,” said Abadiano, who was hailed as the Finals MVP. “Para sa akin lang, wag kami tumigil, tuloy-tuloy lang sa pag-improve.” This is State U’s second-straight championship against La Salle in the preseason tilt, and also their second win against the Archers in the tournament. In addition, UP also swept all of its 10 games in the preseason meet. After falling by 20, 43-23, due to only scoring six points in the second quarter in comparison to La Salle’s 29, Abadiano and Cagulangan led the Maroons to a 25-10 third-frame fight back to get UP to as close as five, 53-48. The UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball finalists then went toe-to-toe in the fourth, with Abadiano hitting a mid-range jumper to tie the game at 58 midway through the same quarter, and this is when UP started to overtake their Finals tormentors. Dikachi Udodo’s trips from the 15-foot-line extended their lead to three, while a breakaway dunk from Francis Lopez then led to them leading by five, 63-58. Kevin Quiambao and CJ Austria, however, refused to give in just yet and even took back the lead, 65-64, after a pull-up triple from the former, but Udodo and Cagulangan answered with their own set of baskets to regain the lead, 68-65. Incoming one-and-done La Salle point guard Lian Ramiro split his charities in the next play to get the Green Archers to within two, and while DLSU had another chance after a UP turnover, KQ missed his attempt from the three-point area, and this eventually allowed the Fighting Maroons to retain the FilOil title. Meanwhile, Quiambao, who was named as Season MVP, and Austria each scored 14 for the Taft-based squad. Following them were Ramiro and Henry Agunanne who each had seven. The Scores: UP 69 — Cagulangan 13, Abadiano 12, Alarcon 9, Ududo 9, Lopez 8, Torres 7, Torculas 7, Felicilda 2, Alter 2, Stevens 0, Walker 0, Bayla 0, Briones 0, Belmonte 0, Tan 0 LA SALLE 66 — Quiambao 14, Austria 14, Ramiro 7, Agunanne 7, Gollena 7, Dungo 6, Policarpio 4, Macalalag 3, Marasigan 2, Cortez 2, Zamora 0, Buenaventura 0, Gaspay 0, Abadam 0, Rubico 0, Alian 0 QUARTERS: 17-14, 23-43, 48-53, 69-66 </div>

The University of the Philippines asserted its mastery of De La Salle University in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

The University of the Philippines asserted its mastery of De La Salle University in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.