OLD friends and longtime on-court rivals will soon face off in the battle for the ultimate prize — the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball championship.
Although this will just be the first-ever title series between University of the Philippines and La Salle in UAAP history, the finals which begins in three days' time at the Mall of Asia Arena has more than a few big names crossed paths once again.
READ: It's La Salle vs UP in Finals after Green Archers oust NU Bulldogs
From University of Sto. Tomas hotshots to NCAA rivals and dynastic UAAP juniors teammates, there's plenty of history across the board between these players and one head coach, in particular.
CJ Cansino and Mark Nonoy (UST)
The sharpshooting pair of Cansino and Nonoy once donned UST's colors — the last of which back in Season 82.
It was in their final season for the España side in which they snapped the Tigers' four-year Finals drought in 2019 but just fell short of the crown to the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Their abrupt exit from the school, however, was prompted by the team's controversial pandemic training bubble in Sorsogon — one which led to a sizeable player exodus resulting to Cansino joining UP and Nonoy transferring to La Salle.
Four years on from such an unfortunate saga, it'll all be about chasing championship gold for the ex-Tiger aces — and Nonoy had his say on his 'friendly' matchup with a good friend in Cansino.
"Minsan nag-uusap rin kasi kami. Gusto lang namin bigyan ng magandang laban yung fans at gawin lang yung best namin. On the court siyempre kalaban yan, pero off the court, ganun pa rin yung friendship namin as former teammates," Nonoy shared.
Prior to learning their opponents as the first team to clinch a Finals spot, Cansino pointed out the need to prepare just as hard regardless of which team they'll be up against in the title series.
"Sa'kin siguro, magpe-prepare lang talaga kami kung sino makakalaban namin. Same mentality, same culture na bini-build namin. Hopefully kung anuman 'yung system na gusto rin ng coaches, madala namin sa (Finals) games," Cansino said in an ambush interview.
JD Cagulangan (La Salle Greenhills) and Evan Nelle (San Beda)
Unlike the erstwhile same-side tandem of Cansino and Nonoy, there's a rather interesting history between longtime juniors rivals JD Cagulangan and Evan Nelle.
They'll soon lock horns in the UAAP Finals for the first time ever, but the first few chapters of their head-to-head matchups actually began in the NCAA when Cagulangan used to play for La Salle Greenhills and Nelle with San Beda.
And from the NCAA to their eventual move to the UAAP, Cagulangan's sides have had the upper hand for the most part than that of Nelle's.
The now-UP guard led the Greenies to a classic triple overtime win over Nelle's Red Cubs in the Final Four before his heroic stand in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the title series gave fourth-seed LSGH the Season 93 juniors crown, which also earned him a Mythical Five nod.
In the UAAP, Cagulangan's UP and Nelle's La Salle faced off in the Final Four of the Maroons' title-winning Season 84 run — with Cagulangan's side prevailing again.
Sweet revenge could not come at a better time for Nelle in his first Finals bout with Cagulangan, and he's brimming with excitement on the prospect of what could be for his surging Archers side.
"Siya na naman no? I’ve played against him since high school. Someone asked me awhile ago who was I excited to play against in the Final Four, I said JD (Cagulangan).
"I haven’t played against him this whole season, so it’s gonna be tough matchup. When I play him, pautakan kami. He’s really good. He knows how to control the pace, how to control the game, I just got to match his effort or maybe even do more," Nelle said.
Goldwin Monteverde et al. and Kevin Quiambao (Nazareth School of NU)
The decorated master and his resurgent learner meet again.
Two scintillating names from the dynastic Nazareth School of National University (NSNU) Bullpups will don opposing colors in the seniors' championship for the first time since sharing unrivalled high school basketball success.
UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde called the shots in NSNU's 16-game sweep for the Season 82 juniors' championship, where he had five of his current Finals-bound Maroons in Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Harold Alarcon, Reyland Torres, and Janjan Felicilda under his wing.
And who else was in that title-winning squad? Kevin Quiambao, Season 86's prospective runaway MVP.
Now the current face of Green Archers basketball after a prodigious season, Quiambao gave his two cents on the forthcoming battle with his former NSNU Bullpups mentor and teammates, as well as taking on reigning league MVP Malick Diouf.
"For me, it’s not me versus (Malick) Diouf. It’s UP vs. DLSU in the Finals. 'Yung total team effort ipapakita namin. Focus lang kami sa present knowing na kilala ako ni Coach Gold (Monteverde), nakasama ko siya sa NU.
"Bibigay ko lang yung best ko everyday and magpe-prepare well para sa Finals. Kailangan lang naming maging grounded para sa laban na 'to," Quiambao said.
Competition aside, Monteverde previously spoke about the immense pride he carries upon witnessing the successful ascents of his former high school stars in the college ranks, including Quiambao.
"Kapag nag-coach ka ng high school, ang iisipin mo at that given time is gusto mo lahat ng player mo, maka-level up (sa college)," said Monteverde.
"Whether kalaban ko sila or kakampi ko, basta nakita ko naman na may napuntahan and at the same time tuloy-tuloy ‘yung improvement, siyempre as a former coach masaya ako para sa kanilang lahat."
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