LIVE UPDATES: La Salle vs UP – UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals, Game 2

MANILA, Philippines – Can the UP Fighting Maroons finally get over the hump?

Up 1-0 against La Salle, the Fighting Maroons seek to get the job done and close out the Green Archers for the crown in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, December 11.

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UAAP FINALS G2 | STATS:

Mike Phillips and Francis Lopez lead their respective teams with 14 points apiece as La Salle slightly leads over UP. #UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/4Jf0UU6rxL

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

SECOND QUARTER

• HALFTIME: La Salle goes into the break with a slim 39-36 advantage over UP
• LA SALLE 39-36: Raven Gonzales stops the drought with a reverse layup. Timeout UP with 33 seconds remaining in the first half
• LA SALLE 37-36: 6-0 run by UP after two charities by Francis Lopez
• LA SALLE 37-34: Gerry Abadiano pulls UP back within a single possession with two foul shots, 1:15 left in the quarter
• LA SALLE 37-32: Dikachi Ududo connects on two free throws
• LA SALLE 37-30: JC Macalalag banks in a tough floater
• LA SALLE 35-30: Raven Gonzales spins and scores
• LA SALLE 33-30: Quentin Millora-Brown splits from the line for his first point of the match
• LA SALLE 33-29: Gerry Abadiano scores over Mike Phillips, who gets called for an unsportsmanlike foul for landing spot violation. Abadiano misses the bonus, UP extra possession
• LA SALLE 33-27: Kevin Quiambao nails two free throws, 4:45 left in the quarter
• LA SALLE 31-27: Joshua David uncorks a long bomb
• LA SALLE 28-27: Gani Stevens cleans up the miss
• LA SALLE 28-25: Reyland Torres swishes from downtown

FIRST QUARTER

• END OF FIRST QUARTER: Mike Phillips fires 14 points in the first quarter as La Salle leads UP in a high-scoring affair, 28-22
• LA SALLE 28-22: JC Macalalag beats the buzzer with a putback layup
• LA SALLE 26-22: Francis Lopez knocks down a three-pointer
• LA SALLE 26-19: Mike Phillips now with 14 points after another layup
• LA SALLE 24-19: Francis Lopez completes the and-one play
• LA SALLE 24-18: Francis Lopez absorbs the contact and still converts on his layup
• LA SALLE 24-16: Mike Phillips finishes again inside
• LA SALLE 22-16: Harold Alarcon quickly answers with a three
• LA SALLE 22-13: Kevin Quiambao gives the Green Archers a 9-point lead with a hook shot
• LA SALLE 20-13: Mike Phillips continues to torch UP as he nails another floater off a 10-2 run, 2:43 left in the quarter
• LA SALLE 18-13: Mike Phillips tips in the miss
• LA SALLE 16-13: Kevin Quiambao hits two freebies
• LA SALLE 14-13: JD Cagulangan and CJ Austria exchange quick layups off the timeout
• LA SALLE 12-11: Kevin Quiambao gives the Green Archers their first lead with an undergoal stab, 4:25 left in the quarter
• UP 11-10: CJ Austria finds the open EJ Gollena for an easy fastbreak layup
• UP 11-8: Mike Phillips counters with a long two
• UP 11-6: Sean Torculas steals and scores on the break
• UP 9-6: EJ Gollena knocks down two foul shots for La Salle
• UP 9-4: Gerry Abadiano makes the defense pay with a wide-open trey
• UP 6-4: Mike Phillips scores his second basket of the game
• UP 6-2: Francis Lopez pulls up from deep
• UP 3-2: Mike Phillips puts La Salle on the board with a layup
• UP 3-0: Francis Lopez sinks the bonus free throw
• UP 2-0: Francis Lopez starts things off with a layup, plus the foul

STARTING LINEUPS

• LA SALLE – Henry Agunanne, Joshua David, EJ Gollena, Mike Phillips, JC Macalalag (Kevin Quiambao off the bench)
• UP – Gerry Abadiano, Francis Lopez, Harold Alarcon, Quentin Millora-Brown, JD Cagulangan

AWARDING CEREMONY

Most Valuable Player: Kevin Quiambao – La Salle Green Archers

TWO-TIME TERROR.

La Salle superstar Kevin Quiambao wins his second career UAAP men's basketball MVP award, the first back-to-back winner since fellow Green Archers legend Ben Mbala! #UAAPSeason87

Bookmark this page for LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/JG2Qcsq1Io pic.twitter.com/zf2MJMxv9B

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

UAAP AWARDS | WATCH:

BACK 2 BACK!

Your #UAAPSeason86 and #UAAPSeason87 Most Valuable Player, Kevin Quiambao! pic.twitter.com/1UKMZYgRQ8

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

Rookie of the Year: Veejay Pre – FEU Tamaraws

GALING MO, PRE!

Burly FEU Tamaraws forward Veejay Pre stands out above the rest as the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball Rookie of the Year!

Bookmark this page for LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/JG2Qcsq1Io pic.twitter.com/N6B1p0YNfB

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

Mythical Five

• Kevin Quiambao – La Salle Green Archers
• Mike Phillips – La Salle Green Archers
• JD Cagulangan – UP Fighting Maroons
• Mo Konateh – FEU Tamaraws
• Nic Cabañero – UST Growling Tigers

CREAM OF THE CROP.

Here is the #UAAPSeason87 men's basketball Mythical Five, led by La Salle's fearsome tandem of reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips!

Bookmark this page for LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/JG2Qcsq1Io pic.twitter.com/HaPGOHuSew

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

UAAP AWARDS | LOOK:

The #UAAPSeason87 Mythical Five!

Quiambao and Phillips (DLSU)
Konateh (FEU)
Cabañero (UST)
Cagulangan (UP) pic.twitter.com/hZGKDOPzJS

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

UAAP AWARDS | LOOK:

Here are the winners of the sponsored awards such as the player with the Best Performance of the Season and the Best Rebounder of #UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/EGPCf9JbEP

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

UAAP AWARDS | WATCH:

The league’s best are being feted in the #UAAPSeason87 awards ceremony at 5pm! pic.twitter.com/SoGB7d0CQh

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 11, 2024

Preview

For the fourth season in a row, UP drew first blood in the finals following a 73-65 win over La Salle in their Game 1 showdown last Sunday, December 8, to move on the cusp of the title.

History, however, is not on the side of the Fighting Maroons as they have lost all their Game 2 finals encounters in the last four seasons.

As UP looks to get back on top and reclaim the title it last won in Season 84, count on Mythical Team member JD Cagulangan and one-and-done big man Quentin Millora-Brown to leave it all on the floor for the Fighting Maroons in what could be their final game in the UAAP.

Cagulangan, Millora-Brown, as well as sophomore swingman Francis Lopez, joined forces to propel the Fighting Maroons to the hard-fought victory in Game 1.

Millora-Brown posted a career-high 17 points along with 9 rebounds, Cagulangan scattered 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Lopez rose to the occasion with 13 markers, 6 boards, and 4 blocks.

Look for those three players to show the way for the Fighting Maroons anew as they brace for a massive La Salle fightback and a huge bounce-back performance from Green Archers superstar Kevin Quiambao.

After exploding for 18 points in the first half of Game 1, Quiambao was nowhere to be found in the final two quarters as he was held to only a single point the rest of the way by UP’s stifling defense. 

But with the 6-foot-7 forward set to be crowned MVP for the second straight season minutes before this Game 2 clash, expect a much more motivated Quiambao as he tries to lead La Salle to a winner-take-all Game 3.

Quiambao, though, will once again need the help of his frontcourt partner and fellow Mythical Team member Mike Phillips, whose all-around showing of 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists went for naught in Game 1.

The Green Archers will also need their top point guard Joshua David to step up to the plate after being limited to just 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting in the series opener.

Game time is 5:30 pm. – Rappler.com