UNIVERSITY of the Philippines big man Quentin Millora-Brown found Adamson University’s defense napping, cut into the baseline and got a nifty pass from Mark Belmonte.
Millora-Brown then rose for a vicious one-handed slam dunk that capped his team’s big fourth-quarter surge, enabling the Maroons to realize a big goal last night.
Buckling down to work in the final canto, the Fighting Maroons essayed a 70-59 victory over the Soaring Falcons for their second straight win and gained a Final Four berth in the 87th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
“It’s great to see you all back after two weeks, that’s so long. This is something na isa sa mini-goals ng team, just like coach Gold or I have mentioned before, it’s always about the next possession, the next game for us and building from those possessions, from those quarters, from those games,” UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said. “At this point, tulad nga ng nabanggit ninyo, this was a clinching semifinal game. So, you know, it’s something that we’re gonna celebrate tonight, so to speak.
“But at the same time the goal is the big picture, iyong papasok ng finals, giving ourselves an opportunity for that,” he added.
JD Cagulangan showed the way for the Maroons with 17 points, three rebounds, and one assist while Gani Stevens chimed in 10 markers and four boards.
Terrence Fortea and Belmonte also combined for eight points as UP rose to 8-1 for solo second behind defending champion La Salle, which has also bagged a Last Four slot with a pacesetting 10-1 mark.
Adamson absorbed a fifth loss in a row for a 3-7 slate in a tie with Ateneo for sixth.
Mathew Montebon carried the fight for the Falcons with 14 points and five rebounds while AJ Fransman and Cedrick Manzano got 13 and 12 markers, respectively.