Josel Sapitan

The UP Fighting Maroons reclaimed the UAAP men’s basketball title after two years, defeating the defending champions DLSU Green Archers in a thrilling 66-62 victory during the Season 87 winner-take-all finals on Sunday, December 15.

Photo Courtesy of UAAP

Following a tough loss in Game 2, the Diliman squad bounced back to deny another reverse sweep loss—a fate they suffered in 2022 against the Ateneo Blue Eagles and Green Archers in the previous year.

The championship game was witnessed by a record-breaking crowd of 25,248 at the Big Dome.
Veteran floor general JD Cagulangan, who ended UP’s 36-year title drought and now a two-time champion, capped his collegiate career with a heroic Finals MVP. 

After the game, Cagulangan expressed his respect and gratitude to the team and the people for his success.

“They welcomed me well, and they deserved to win this season. Thank you to coach Gold [Monteverde]. I wasn't his player [from NUNS], but he gave his full trust. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and sponsors. And my family, that’s where I get my strength,” he said in the postgame press conference.

The game saw a tight battle in the first half before the Fighting Maroons went on a 12-3 run to midway through the third quarter, building a 54-40 lead. 

However, the Green Archers mounted a comeback behind UAAP Season MVP Kevin Quiambao, who converted a 16-2 run to level 56-all in the 9:14 mark of the fourth frame.

John Lopez, determined to make up for his Game 2 shortcomings, unleashed a crucial dagger from the arc to stop DLSU’s momentum and extend UP’s lead to four, 64-60.

DLSU’s trapped play made a two-point freebie to close the gap to 64-66 as Harold Alarcon lost the ball in the last 46 seconds of last quarter.

Despite the pressure in the last 11 seconds of the crunchtime, Quentin Millora-Brown sealed the deal for the Fighting Maroons, delivering a perfect 2-of-2 cold-blooded free throw to close the match, 66-62.

The 6-foot-10 UP big man Millora-Brown led the way with 14 points that were topped by 12 markers each from Cagulangan and Lopez, plus the combined 16 tally of Gerry Abadiano and Alarcon.

DLSU stars Michael Philips recorded 18 points second-handed by Quaimbao's 13 markers plus JC Macalalag and Joshua David collected six tallies each.

The Fighting Maroons brought their second UAAP title to Diliman under UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.