UP survives ‘test of character’

University of the Philippines (UP) edged De La Salle University with a thrilling 80-76 victory in Season 89 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament on Sunday.

But for Fighting Maroons coach Goldwin Monteverde, the feat wasn’t just an ordinary victory.

Monteverde said competing against an elite team like the Green Archers, their rivals in the finals for the past three years, served as a “test of character” for them since they are coming off two losses that somehow cast doubts on their ability to regain the crown.

After opening the season with two straight wins, the Fighting Maroons slowed down, suffering a 64-72 loss to National University before absorbing a 79-90 setback to a streaking Far Eastern University squad.

Against dangerous La Salle, Monteverde and the Fighting Maroons went full blast not just to barge back into the win column, but also to regain their morale and pull off an early victory against the team that knocked the crown of their heads last season.

Monteverde said they passed their “test of character.”

“For us, going into this game, it was more of a test of character for the team,” said Monteverde, whose wards have beaten the Green Archers in the elimination round for the first time since posting a 67-64 win in Season 86 on 18 October 2023.

“We were coming off two losses, and the team was able to regroup. We talked about how to overcome our situation.”

True enough, the Fighting Maroons faced the Green Archers with fire in their eyes.

UP dictated the tempo early on, leading by as many as 16 points, before La Salle waged a searing rally in the fourth quarter punctuated by a Jacob Cortez three-pointer that gave it a slim 73-72 lead with 2:43 left.

But UP refused to give up. VJ Pre nailed a tough jumper that gave UP a 75-73 cushion before watching his teammates knock down four of their six free throws to extend the lead to six, 79-73, with only 21.5 seconds left.

A transferee from FEU, Pre dropped seven of his 19 points in the fourth period while Noy Remogat had a brilliant performance, finishing with 20 points, four rebounds, and three three-pointers for UP, which also drew solid numbers from Filipino-Canadian Elliott Dimaculangan and Nigerian Dikachi Ududo.