The UP Fighting Maroons defeated the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles in overtime, 81-74, to take game one of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 men’s basketball best-of-three finals on May 8 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Trailing by eight points, 60-68, at the 4:35 mark of the fourth quarter, the Fighting Maroons slowly but surely crawled their way back, clamping down on the Blue Eagles. It was there where Zavier Lucero rose to the occasion and took matters in his own hand by scoring seven points in that crucial 10-2 run of UP.
Lucero got the offensive rebound of a missed jumper from Carl Tamayo and scored on bank shot to cut ADMU’s lead to six, 68-62, with two minutes and 11 seconds left. He then scored on a transition lay up to put UP within striking distance, with 1:17 remaining. Raffy Verano then scored on a jumper to give ADMU a separation, 70-64, with 54 seconds to go.
In the ensuing play, Tamayo muffed his two free throws, but Lucero was able to grab the offensive rebound and scored an and-one play to put UP within three points, 67-70, with 32.6 tick to play.
The Fighting Maroons then, with their suffocating defense, forced the Blue Eagles to commit a turnover which resulted in a three-point shot by James Spencer that knotted the score, 70-70, still with 24.7 seconds left. UP again played good defense to force ADMU to commit a shot clock violation. Ricci Rivero, with 0.7 seconds left, missed his far-flung three-point attempt to send the game to an extra five minutes.
At the 3:48 mark of the overtime, Lucero drained a triple to even the score, 74-74. ADMU then committed back-to-back shot clock violations, while Rivero scored on layup and drew a foul from ADMU’s Gian Mamuyac. Rivero sank his bonus free throw to put UP ahead, 77-74, with two minutes and 31 seconds to go. ADMU, again, committed another turnover and Tamayo scored on a layup to stretch UP’s lead, 79-74, with 2: 04 left.
The Fighting Maroons continued their good defense and held the Blue Eagles scoreless in the dying moments of the game. With three seconds left to play, Rivero sealed the game for UP by draining his two free throws on a duty foul committed by Verano.
Five Fighting Maroons scored in double digits: Rivero, who had an impressive 11-of-11 from charity line, paced UP with 19 points, four steals, two blocks, and two assists; Lucero chipped in 17 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks; Spencer added 13 points; and Maodo Diouf and Tamayo contributed 10 points apiece.
Game two of the finals series is scheduled on May 11, 6 p.m.
