THE VERY first iteration of the UAAP Esports finale in NBA 2K is indeed an El Clasico experience especially with the Ateneo de Manila University and the De La Salle University Green Archers taking their hoops action inside the virtual space.
Both Paolo Medina of Ateneo's LG Esports and Kegan Yap of DLSU's Viridis Arcus gave an exciting matchup as the series went to distance.
But after three games of back-and-forth shooting, it was Ateneo who won the very first UAAP esports trophy.
The Wenbanyama factor
Both Yap and Medina were forced to let go of the meta teams in the NBA 2K UAAP event as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Milwaukee Bucks were banned as the rulebook states that Tier 3 teams should only be selected in Game 1 of the grand finals.
Due to this rule, Yap was forced to play as the Chicago Bulls while Medina selected the San Antonio Spurs.
It may seem like Yap was in cruise control especially with his usage of Alex Caruso. Yap even had a double digit lead in Game 1, but Medina slowly inched his way as he kept on abusing Victor Wenbanyama's freakish nature.
Medina capitalized on his gigantic wingspan to secure key steals and dunk over Nikola Vucevic.
However it was also Medina's performance with Julian Champagnie that also sealed the deal as his three pointers led to Ateneo's come from behind Game 1 win.
Final Score: ADMU (San Antonio Spurs) 77 - DLSU (Chicago Bulls) 75
Attacking the paint with the Beard
Desperate to keep his school pride alive, Yap decided to utilize the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 which featured Tier 2 teams. Medina responded by selecting the Sacramento Kings.
It was a back-and-forth battle that saw both players attack the opposition's interior defense with the likes of James Harden and De'Aaron Fox. Their mobility was enough to leave their defenders to dust, however it was Yap who took control at the latter stages of the match.
With Harden taking control, the rest of the Clippers had space to shoot as the likes of Kawhi Leonard suddenly emerged.
In the end, Yap forced a Game 3 duel.
Final Score: DLSU (Los Angeles Clippers) 93 - ADMU (Sacramento Kings) 89
The final match
With the series reaching the final game, both teams can now deploy their strongest teams. For Ateneo's Medina, it was the Oklahoma City Thunder that became his go to team while DLSU's Yap goes for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Medina had a comfortable double digit lead all thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With him taking command of the game, it was a struggle for Yap to bounce back.
At one point of the game both SGA and Chet Holmgren had their Takeover Meters on fire, giving more offensive firepower for Medina. Eventually the other pieces started to rain threes.
There was nothing Yap could do as Medina showed his mastery of the Oklahoma City Thunder, leading to the Blue Eagles' first UAAP crown in esports.
Final Score: ADMU (Oklahoma City Thunder) 74 - DLSU (Los Angeles Lakers) 63
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