MANILA – The close to four decades of futility, heartbreak and disappointment of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons ended last night. Thanks to Joel Diomar “JD” Cagulangan.
He drilled the game-winning, buzzer-beating triple as the Fighting Maroons hacked out a 72-69 overtime win against Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball finals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The pint-size guard stood tall for the Fighting Maroons in overtime as he drilled a contested, shot clock-beating triple and assisted center Maodo Malick Diouf to a breakaway dunk as they turned a 64-69 deficit to a 69-all count.
Following a missed conversion on the Blue Eagles side, Cagulangan took matters into his own hands as he melted the clock before unloading a three-pointer at the buzzer to give UP its first UAAP title since 1986.
Cagulangan finished the match with 13 points, while Finals MVP Diouf chipped in 17 markers and nine rebounds as the Fighting Maroons wrapped up the best-of-three finale at 2-1.
Crispin John Cansino made a surprise apperance for UP as he tallied 14 points, including four outside conversions, as Ricci Rivero played his final collegiate game with nine markers.
The Fighting Maroons were in the lead for most part of the opening half, 17-11 after the first 10 minutes behind inside hits by Diouf, and 31-27 at the half following outside heaves by Cansino.
The Blue Eagles, however, displayed its experience in the third quarter with Bacolodnon Samjosef Belangel, Angelo Kouame and Chris Koon anchoring the offense for a hairline of a lead at 47-46.
The Fighting Maroons kept in step in the fourth quarter but the Blue Eagles stay afloat at 59-56 on shots by Belangel and Kouame but a booming triple by Cansino for UP send the match into overtime.
Both teams were still knotted at 62-62 early in the OT period before the Blue Eagles pulled to a 69-64 lead on back-to-back treys by Gian Mamuyac, but it was negated by the 8-0 blast by Cagulangan and Diouf.
Belangel finished the game with 27 points, Kouame chipped in double-double 12 points and 14 rebounds as Mamuyac ended his UAAP career with 10 points for Ateneo.
BOX SCORE:
UP 72 — Diouf 17, Cansino 14, Cagulangan 13, Rivero 9, Alarcon 8, Tamayo 6, Spencer 5, Fortea 0, Lucero 0, Abadiano 0.
ATENEO 69 — Belangel 27, Kouame 12, Mamuyac 10, Koon 6, Lazaro 5, Verano 5, Tio 2, Ildefonso 2, Andrade 0, Chiu 0, Daves 0.
Quarterscores: 17-11, 31-27, 46-47, 59-59, 72-69. /PN
