Defending champions University of the Philippines (UP) employed iron defense to stymy the Ateneo de Manila University, 72-66 in Game One of the UAAP men’s basketball finals on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Earlier in the day, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB) relied on the heroics of season Most Valuable Player Will Gozum, wounded spitfire Miguel Oczon, and power forward Miggy Corteza to send the series to a do-or-die Game Three, beating two-time defending champs Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 76-71, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Battle of Katipunan III

6’6” small forward Zave Lucero was excellent on both ends of the court while Harold Alarcon fired two crucial triples in the fourth quarter as UP never reneged their lead that they have established since the opening seconds of the game.

Despite not scoring in the last three minutes of the game, point guard JD Cagulangan picked the pocket of Chris Koon while Lucero swatted a driving attack by seven-foot center Ange Kouame during Ateneo’s rally to shave a 70-60 ten point lead late in the game.

“We’ve done our part on defense but we’ve also distributed the ball well early and went for easier shots,” assessed UP head coach Goldwyn Monteverde, who is gunning for his second college trophy in in 2022 for the state university.

But for Lucero, who led his team with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and two block, his team “can’t be too happy about this, job’s not done, (and) we have to play better on Wednesday.”

Cagulangan assisted Lucero with an all-around 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while pesky defender Alarcon added 11 points.

Point guard Forthsky Padrigao, who went down with a sprained ankle in the third quarter, led the Blue Eagles with 16 points and four assists while Kouame added 15 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks.

The Fighting Maroons aim to defend the crown in Game Two on Wednesday, December 14, at the Araneta Coliseum.

CSB upsets Letran in another physical game

In the NCAA, Benildean stalwarts Gozum, Oczon, and Corteza lifted the Blazers past the Knights for the first time this season to force a winner-take-all Game Three.

Down by eleven points in the first half, Miggy Corteza lorded it over on the low post, scoring 14 of his 21 points in a third quarter where the Blazers blasted the Knights, 30-14.

As Letran kept on rallying to tie the game at 71 in the last two minutes, ex-Fighting Maroon Gozum went for a left-handed drive past King Caralipio for the go-ahead basket.

With less than a minute left, Oczon then grabbed the rebound off a missed hook shot by Louie Sangalang as the masked spitfire, coming off an ankle sprain in Game One, sank a turnaround jumper past the arms of Brent Paraiso to stamp the Blazers’ class over the Knights.

Corteza and Gozum led the Blazers with 21 points and ten rebounds each while Oczon added 15 points off four triples in 31 minutes.

“We told them not to panic and that it is our time,” CSB coach Charles Tiu said after the game. “We asked them to be mentally tough and we have to believe that we can beat them even if they’ve beaten us three times [this season.]”

The game was not spared with another controversy as graduating chief Knight Fran Yu was booted out midway in the second quarter after an apparent punch thrown on Mark Sangco in a rebound play.

Yu was called for a disqualifying foul, which according to the NCAA rulebook must result in at least a one-game suspension in the next playdate.

The NCAA Management Committee has not issued a statement on Yu’s fate as of press time.

Paraiso led the Knights with 16 points while Mythical Five member Caralipio added nine points and 14 rebounds.

Both schools will settle the score next Sunday, December 18, at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.

The scores

CSB 76 – Gozum 21, Corteza 21, Oczon 15, Nayve 10, Sangco 3, Pasturan 3, Carlos 3, Cullar 0, Marcos 0, Davis 0, Lim 0, Flores 0, Lepalam 0

Letran 71 – Paraiso 16, Sangalang 11, Reyson 11, Caralipio 9, Santos 6, Yu 6, Javillonar 5, Olivario 4, Ariar 3, Guarinio 0, Go 0

Quarter scores: 20-23, 34-45, 64-59, 76-71

UP 72 – Lucero 14, Cagulangan 12, Alarcon 11, Diouf 9, Gonzales 8, Tamayo 7, Galinato 6, Spencer 5, Fortea 0, Abadiano 0

Ateneo 66 – Padrigao 16, Kouame 15, Ildefonso 10, Andrade 10, Koon 9, Lazaro 3, Chiu 2, Gomez 1, Ballungay 0, Daves 0, Lao 0, Quitevis 0

Quarter scores: 28-19, 42-35, 54-50, 72-66