AS expected, Game One of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals was akin to a boxing slugfest between two heavyweight titans vying for alpha status inside the squared circle.
And if it indeed was a boxing match, then it was the University of the Philippines who landed the killer blows to ultimately outlast a determined La Salle side, 73-65, and move a win away from UAAP basketball supremacy on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ: QMB a difference-maker as UP draws first blood vs La Salle
Gerry Abadiano’s final two baskets came like crippling body shots to a winded pugilist who may have had the determination and will, but not the necessary time and form to steal the fight away from the determined title challengers.
It wasn’t easy. Hell, it wasn’t pretty. But the Fighting Maroons didn’t expect anything less.
“This is what the finals is all about. [Malalaman] kung sino ang mas gutom, who’s willing to really fight for it,” UP coach Goldwin Monteverde told SPIN.ph.
“Before this game started, we really set our minds na, no matter what, 'di kami aatras, we’ll keep on playing. I’m very happy the team really played hard today.”
A second half Fighting Maroon barrage had the defending champions on the ropes, erecting a double-digit lead twice midway through the fourth quarter, but the Green Archers certainly went down swinging, also twice coming to within four in a spirited fightback.
That was when Abadiano started to connect, first on a crucial midrange jumper with 2:01 left to push State U to 67-61, before dealing La Salle with the biggest blow of the night – a three-pointer from the left wing with 40.1 seconds remaining to give his team a commanding 70-63 lead.
With the heartbreak of the past two seasons still fresh onhis mind, Abadiano was adamant not to go through that again.
“Dala-dala pa rin namin yung sakit nung natalo kami. Hindi lang itong last season ah, yung last two seasons talaga,” Abadiano told SPIN.ph.
“Yung sakit na yun, yun ang nag-motivate sa'min as a team. Lalo na yung mga players na andito nung last two seasons.”
Goldwin, the trainer. Gerry, the boxer.
Monteverde’s usage of Abadiano was like that of a reflex punch, a weapon that he has long mastered and relied on to get ahead in this boxing ring of ideas with his opposing coach.
It may not always land, like early on in this game where Abadiano only made one of his first eight shots, but it’s something that he’d always go to when push comes to shove.
And when the shoving came, it was that reflex punch which scored UP the first knockdown of this series.
“I never doubted Gerry. Never,” Monteverde said.
“Ever since magkasama kami before pa, sa ganoong instances, I never doubted Gerry.”
That trust, for Abadiano, goes both ways. Knowing that he has his longtime mentor's full faith to take the challengers home, he trusts himself to continue taking those shots regardless of how his game has been going.
“Sobrang laki ng tiwala ng teammates ko sa'kin, lalo na si coach Gold. Everytime na nagmi-miss ako ng shots, or hindi ko nakukuha yung tira ko, iniisip ko lang next play,” Abadiano shared.
“Yung tiwala ng teammates, nandyan naman palagi, yung tiwala ng coaches, nandyan din naman palagi, and every time na nangyayaring ganun, next play lang talaga.”
The Green Archers may have been knocked down, but make no mistake that they still have plenty of fight in them entering the crucial Game Two this Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After all, this was the similar situation last year: the Fighting Maroons already had La Salle cornered only for the latter to win back-to-back all the way to the championship.
This time around, Abadiano plans to throw all his might from opening bell to end, and make sure that there’s no getting up for the proud champions.
“Pukpok na talaga. Kailangan namin mas higitan pa yung nilaro namin sa Game One,” Abadiano stated.
“Ako personally, ayoko na maulit talaga yung last two seasons. Sobrang sakit nun sa pakiramdam. Kukunin namin talaga to. Ta-try namin kunin talaga at ibibigay namin ang best namin sa Game Two.”
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