THINGS got heated in the Playtime Filoil Preseason Cup game between UST and UP, two teams who are expected to make a run to the UAAP Season 88 Finals and maybe bump into each other along the way there.
Both squads had an extra pep heading into their Monday afternoon clash, especially as they’re both off coming losses.
That was certainly seen in Harold Alarcon who played both skipper and instigator against the España squad, barking onto the Tigers’ squad for the duration of the game particularly UST’s foreign student-athlete in Peter Osang.
The UP senior constantly taunted Osang even after being dealt double technicals with two minutes left of the second quarter for their in interactions.
He also constantly sought the 6-7 center on switches and made sure he heard from him on the times he successfully scored on the Nigerian.
READ: UST sends UP to second straight loss in Filoil Preseason
But despite the provocation from the 22-year-old guard, Osang kept his cool to the best of his ability, and was instrumental in towing the Tigers to a 90-81 winover the defending champions.
“I just feel like he was trying to get to my head, you know. But yeah, that’s basketball for you,” Osang said as he finished with another solid game of 10 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.
“It’s part of the game. I didn’t take it negatively, rather I took it positively.”
Things hit the boiling point with less than a minute left in a game that was already under wraps when Alarcon committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Crisostomo, who led the game with 24 points, four of which coming from beyond the arc.
Alarcon was subsequently ejected for incurring his second technical foul of the game.
Even with all the friction and antics throughout the game, Osang was proud with how his team locked in and eventually took the victory,
“It’s a good game. We stuck to the plan and played as a team. Everyone put an effort defensively and offensively, and we won as a team,” he shared.
And for Osang personally, high-intensity games like this are what he looks forward to, especially with the forthcoming UAAP season.
“It was a good experience for me, I got to play a tougher team. I’m looking forward to the UAAP.”
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