UP and La Salle Clash in Decisive Game 3 for UAAP Basketball Championship

The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons and De La Salle Green Archers will meet today in a decisive Game 3 of the UAAP Season 88 basketball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Scheduled for 3:30 p.m., this winner-take-all game will determine the tournament champion.

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde’s squad enters the contest buoyed by their narrow 66-63 victory in Game 2 last Sunday, which forced the series into this final matchup. La Salle, meanwhile, opened the series with a 74-70 win on December 11.

Veteran guard Gerry Abadiano, who is set to graduate, highlighted the significance of the experience his team gained from previous championships. He said, "Personally, the experience we gained from our past championships is a big factor for me and my teammates, as I’m able to share what a do-or-die Game 3 really feels like." Abadiano also acknowledged the special opportunity to play in this high-stakes game, adding, "All of us young players dream about this and we feel truly blessed. We will adjust as needed and give our absolute best."

UP will additionally lean on their other senior players, including Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, Francis Nnoruka, Jacob Bayla, and Rey Remogat, as they aim to defend their title.

This highly anticipated final game promises intense competition as both teams vie for supremacy in the league’s premier collegiate basketball tournament.