The UP Fighting Maroons Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) overcame the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers’ tough challenge in their final-four encounter with a 78-69 win on Nov. 30 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The win booked the Fighting Maroons into their fourth consecutive Finals appearance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.

Harold Alarcon and Francis Lopez paced the Fighting Maroons with 16 points apiece, while Reyland Torres chipped in 13 points. Quentin Millora-Brown (QMB), who was named best player of the game, had another superb output scoring nine points, 19 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the Fighting Maroons and the Growling Tigers in the first half, with UST taking the upper hand, 35-33, at the halftime break.

In the third quarter, with the Fighting Maroons still trailing by six points, 34-40, Alarcon, Torres, Lopez, and Terrence Fortea teamed up for a 21-4 scoring blast to grab the lead, 55-44, with two minutes and 23 seconds remaining in the said quarter. The UPMBT eventually hung on to a seven-point advantage, 57-50, going into the payoff period.

The Growling Tigers refused to gave in and fought back to came within four points, 62-58, on a series of basket conversions by Nic Cabañero. In the ensuing plays, the UPMBT, led by Alarcon, JD Cagulangan, and QMB, countered a 10-3 run to give the Fighting Maroons a comfortable 11-point lead, 72-61, with a little over three minutes left in the game.

The Diliman-based dribblers then put up a tight defensive stance to frustrate the Growling Tigers’ last ditch-effort in the dying minutes of the game, sealing the Fighting Maroons return to the UAAP Finals.

The Fighting Maroons will have their finals rematch against the De La Salle University Green Archers. Game one of the best-of-three championship series is on Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.