UP sweeps Adamson, books first UAAP finals trip since 1986

Team captain Paul Desiderio scored the biggest baskets for the UP Fighting Maroons. Zeke Alonzo

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons are back in the UAAP finals for the first time in 32 years.

Led by graduating team captain Paul Desiderio, UP defeated Adamson in an overtime thriller, 89-87, before a jampacked crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday. The Fighting Maroons completed a two-game sweep of their semifinal matchup against the higher-seeded Falcons. UP took the first game of the series, 73-71, last Saturday.

Desiderio, the heart and soul of the Fighting Maroons squad, nailed the biggest baskets down the stretch to give UP a date in the championship round against defending champion Ateneo. The top seed of the Season 81 men's basketball tournament, the Blue Eagles earlier dispatched Far Eastern University in a single game for its finals ticket.

The Fighting Maroons will be seeking its first title since 1986, when hardcourt legends Benjie Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc, and Eric Altamirano led UP to the promised land.

Cheered on by a sea of maroon-clad supporters, UP raced off to a 26-16 start in the opening period. But the Falcons clawed back, coming to within a single point, 31-30, midway through the second quarter. UP, however, finished strong to end the first half with a 51-42 advantage.

Behind the hot hands of budding star Juan Gomez De Liaño, the Fighting Maroons stretched their lead to 16 points, 60-44, in the third period. After a timeout from coach Franz Pumaren, Adamson woke up from slumber, answering with a furious 23-4 run to take a 67-64 lead heading into the final quarter.

Thrilling fourth quarter

De Liaño tied the game at 72-all, with a split from the line halfway through the period as the game turned into a nip-and-tuck affair.

A crucial steal by Jun Manzo on Ahanmisi led to a fastbreak layup to give UP a 74-73 edge with 3:27 remaining in regulation.

Both teams went scoreless over the next two minutes, before UP backup Jerson Prado, in the game for an exhausted Bright Akhuetie, drew a foul on Sarr on a layup attempt off an offensive rebound. Prado nailed both shots from the line to give UP a 76-73 lead with 1:22 remaining in the fourth.

Ahanmisi broke the silence for Adamson with a tough fadeaway in the next play to put the Falcons behind by just a single point.

The two teams traded misses in their next two plays, before Manzo scored a difficult bank shot to push the UP lead to three, 78-75, with 10.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

After a timeout and a near turnover, Jerom Lastimosa banked in a three-pointer from the corner with 2.6 seconds left, tying the game for Adamson. UP had a shot to win the game in regulation, but Desiderio's attempt at the buzzer bounced out.

Juan Gomez de Liaño was on fire for the Fighting Maroons. Zeke Alonzo

Overtime rollercoaster

Adamson took over to start overtime, with Lastimosa's transition three-pointer giving the Falcons an 84-78 lead.

But the fight was not quite over for UP, who scored in back-to-back plays to come to within a basket. The Fighting Maroons tied the game on a putback by Akhuetie with 1:09 left.

Ahanmisi drew a foul on Akhuetie in the ensuing play, but could not take the free throws because of cramps. Jonathan Espeleta, taking the shots in lieu of Ahanmisi, split free throws to give the Falcons a narrow 85-84 lead.

Desiderio nailed an open three-pointer in the next play, but Lastimosa responded with two free throws on the other end to tie the game.

Heroic performances

UP called Desiderio's number again, and he delivered with an elbow fadeaway with 6.6 seconds left to put UP ahead for.

Lastimosa had one final chance to be the hero, but his final three-point shot bounced off the back rim, giving the Fighting Maroons the victory.

Desiderio finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, including several clutch offensive boards that gave UP crucial opportunities down the stretch.

De Liaño sizzled for a career-high 30 points, while Akhuetie, the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, had 13 points and 17 rebounds.

Ahanmisi led Adamson with 20 points, while Lastimosa chipped in 17. Sarr added 16 points and 14 rebounds, but was hampered by injury late in the game.

Battle of Katipunan

UP finished the eliminations with an 8-6 record, giving the school its first appearance in the UAAP final four since 1997.

It has been a fairytale rise for the UP basketball program, who have embarked on a massive buildup of its basketball program since winning just two games in three seasons from 2012 to 2014.

The Fighting Maroons figure to be underdogs anew against the Blue Eagles, their next-door neighbors in Katipunan, who have made the finals in each of the past two seasons, winning last year. —JST, GMA News