This is just one game away from the title but the tough UP squad can still salvage Game 2 today and force a deciding Game 3. If this happens everybody gets their money’s worth.
It ended up being the Battle of Katipunan. The UP Fighting Maroons overcame the Adamson Soaring Falcons in their do or die battle and was headed to the UAAP Finals after 32 years to face the Ateneo Blue Eagles. It was a very glorious moment for the team that has always been on the outside looking in for the last 32 years. Their time has come.
And last Saturday, the Battle of Katipunan began, drawing tons of supporters, ready to cheer their hearts out for their respective teams, into the venue. It was a game for the ages with the “underdog” clawing their way into victory but after the smokes of battle has cleared, the Blue Eagles stood as game one victors with their masterful execution of their 88-79 win.
This is just one game away from the title but the tough UP squad can still salvage Game 2 today and force a deciding Game 3. If this happens everybody gets their money’s worth.
Worth noting this season for the UP squad was their ability to draw out the best in their opponent's every game while finding ways to win against them. Of course, they won some and lost some of those games. This has been the team’s character all season long which had earned them the respect of opposing teams.
For the Ateneo squad, I had the opportunity to see their mainstays, like the Nieto brothers, play during their younger days in the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP). I was the coach of AdDU Blue Knights SBP from 2008-2010 and my Blue Knights would go to play them in the SBP Finals in those years. We tried to knock them off as champions every year, instead, we ended up with bridesmaid finishes in those three years.
Them having played each other for years, chemistry and familiarity is all but natural, I can just surmise that they know each other like the back of their hands, having played with each other since they were called Blue Eaglets. They are like a well-oiled machine. (I guess this is something that our sports leaders can consider for our national teams.)
As the Battle of Katipunan resumes today, expect both teams to continue fighting tooth and nail until the final buzzer sounds. It will either be a complete title retention bid for the Blue Eagles or UP forces a winner take all Game 3!
Who you’ve got? #AtinYo or #AtinTo