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UAAP SEASON 87

Alarcon’s career high leads UP to back-to-back wins, strips UE of direct Final Four entry

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Photo by: Jethro Villafuerte

Harold Alarcon’s heroics propelled University of the Philippines past University of the East, 77-67, in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, November 20, at the Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.

With 33 scorching hot points — including 62.5% (5/8) shot from beyond the arc — five rebounds, and a +16, Alarcon punctuated UP’s decisive win with a career high, tying reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao — who scored 33 points against Ateneo on October 26 — and being the first Fighting Maroon to put up more than 30 points since Juan Gomez de Liano in Season 81.

The momentum coming off this win is exactly what the Fighting Maroons will need heading into their first game in the Final Four, where they are set to face the UST Growling Tigers, on a yet-to-be announced date. They cap off the elimination round with back-to-back wins and an 11-3 record, ending as the second seed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

The Red Warriors came within sniping range of the Fighting Maroons, 59-57, after Jack Cruz-Dumont fired from beyond the arc with 06:42 left in the game.

The Diliman-based squad were quick to shoot them down with an 11-3 run, beginning with a layup by Francis Lopez, followed by back- to-back triples by Alarcon and free throws by JD Cagulangan, bringing their lead to 10, 70-60, with 02:32 remaining.

Rainer Maga countered with a triple of his own, briefly giving the Warriors a fighting chance, but would set off a series of costly misses with a traveling turnover committed only a minute later. Alarcon sealed UP’s victory with two clutch jumpers, extending the advantage to 11, 74-63, with 36.8 seconds left, by capitalizing on a Cruz-Dumont turnover, eventually handing UE their eighth loss of the season.

“Siguro, papasok sa Final Four, big boost talaga ‘to (career high) sa confidence ko kase last three games ata, parang shaky ako […] siguro nakatulong lang talaga siya sa sarili ko,” Alarcon expressed in the post-game press conference.

Prior to this game, he only managed three points against FEU, two points against DLSU, and four points against ADMU. In the final minutes of the fourth frame, the Bacolod native put up 12 points, building the significant lead that the Maroons held on to until the final whistle was blown.

“Every time you enter the Final Four with two straight wins, our confidence should be there, but you know, as cliche as it sounds, we’re just going to take this one practice at a time,” stated Assistant Coach Christian Luanzon. “Just like any other loss, wherein you’re going to have to move forward and learn from your mistakes, we’re going to have to move forward from this, because pagdating sa Final Four […] even though we have the twice-to-beat advantage, it’s a do-or-die game for us.”

With this victory, the UP Fighting Maroons have now improved their head-to-head record against the UE Red Warriors to 12-0. In their first-round meeting on September 14, UP also routed UE by 10, 81-71, sweeping them in the eliminations this season and continuing the streak that began in Season 81.

Photo by: Dwine Dela Cruz

Meanwhile, the UE Red Warriors have been on a decline since their win streak in Round 1, where they ended with a record of 5-2. Since the beginning of the second round, their record has fallen to 1-6, with their only triumph coming at the expense of the NU Bulldogs. 

In spite of this, the Recto-based squad still stands in fourth with a 6-8 record and maintains a sliver of a chance at reaching the Final Four for the first time in fifteen years, all hinged on the results of the Ateneo vs. Adamson game on Saturday, November 23. 

Should Ateneo manage to defeat Adamson, UE will automatically clinch a spot in the semifinals. If the outcome swings in Adamson’s favor, however, the two teams will be tied at 6-8 and will engage in a playoff for the last Final Four slot.

In addition to Alarcon’s fiery record, big man Quentin Millora-Brown also tallied a double-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and a +15. The two combined to score 63.6% (49/77) of UP’s total score.

Veteran JD Cagulangan was confined to 1-of-11 shooting, but still managed to contribute four points, five rebounds, nine assists, and a +19. Francis Lopez was also limited to four points, but was second only to Millora-Brown with seven rebounds, along with three assists and two blocks.

Photo by: Dwine Dela Cruz

On the other hand, Cruz-Dumont led the Red Warriors in a losing effort with 14 points, three rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Precious Momowei, returning after missing out on UE’s match up against Ateneo while serving a one-game suspension, chipped in 11 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Rainer Maga also added 11 points, one rebound, and one block. 

 

The Scores:

UP (77) – Alarcon 33, Millora-Brown 16, Cagulangan 4, Lopez 4, Torres 4, Abadiano 4, Fortea 4, Briones 3, Ududo 2, Torculas 2, Bayla 1, Felicilda 9, Belmonte 0, Stevens 0.

UE (67) – J. Cruz-Dumont 14, Momowei 11, Maga 11, Abate 8, Fikes 7, Lingolingo 6, Go 4, Wilson 3, Galang 3, Mulingtapang 0, H. Cruz-Dumont 0.

Quarterscores: 15-21, 41-37, 55-52, 77-67.

 

This UP Fighting Maroons Club post is in partnership with Jiang Nan Hotpot.

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