Collegiate Champions to be determined in the UAAP

c/o UAAP

Games today at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

10 a.m. - JHS Boys' Basketball Individual Awarding Ceremony

11 a.m. – UST vs UE (JHS Finals)

1 p.m. – NU vs UST (Women Finals)

5:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men Finals)

DE LA SALLE guns for a second straight title, while University of the Philippines seeks to flip the script to reclaim the throne in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball Finals before an expected jampacked crowd tonight (Sunday) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Archers-Fighting Maroons championship goes for a decider for a second year in a row, as both teams will leave everything on the floor in the 5:30 p.m. contest to close out the year on a high.

Last year, the rubber match drew 25,192 fans -- a Big Dome record for basketball.

After dropping a 65-73 decision in the series opener, De La Salle's title-retention bid barely got a lifeline following a 76-75 Game 2 victory last Saturday.

Making its fourth consecutive Game 3 appearance, UP hopes to redeem itself from its two Finals defeats and secure the crown it last won in Season 84 (May 2022) ending a 36-year championship appearance.

The Green Archers, the fifth most successful team in the league, are eyeing their 11th title overall and the first back-to-back title run since completing a four-peat from Seasons 61 to 64 (1998 to 2001).

A title contender since Season 81 (2018) after decades of being perennial also-rans, the Fighting Maroons will shoot for a fourth championship.

For coach Topex Robinson, it's all about relishing the moment and not about thinking about De La Salle's future after the Finals.

"You know, we're just going to enjoy it. The crowd will be crazy, but that's what we're here for. You know, the reason why you play the Finals is for this kind of moment. You know, you prepare for those moments and nobody could take that away from you. So we just keep on enjoying it. We're just going to be approaching it the way we used to approach it," said Robinson.

"You know, this is the second time we're going to play in a Game 3 Finals, and at this point, we don't have to worry about it yet, but it's going to be an exciting ballgame. You know, whatever the result, it's, you know, it's all about the UAAP, how the branding was, you know, that's going to be good for, I guess, college basketball and Philippine basketball as well. So it's just going to be an exciting Sunday for everybody," he added.

The Green Archers will play Game 3 for a record 10th time. De La Salle is 5-4 all-time in winner-take-all games.

As UP stares in another do-or-die situation, coach Goldwin Monteverde simply wanted his troops to just focus and value every possession to get back on top.

"I guess, yung reality: Life goes on. Ganoon naman talaga ang buhay kung minsan it will go your way, it would not. Ang importante kunng ano ang ginawa mo to achieve ang gusto mong gawin. But then if you fall short siyempre… I think yung basketball is the perfect ano naman for them to be stronger, for them to learn. And definitely with this loss matututo kaming lahat," said Monteverde said.

"We’ll come back stronger Sunday. Basketball is basketball, di ba? Minsan mananalo. Minsan matatalo. Ang importante yung bangon. Alam namin na hindi pa naman tapos ang series. Alam namin na you know, we just have to keep our heads up," he added.

For a second straight women's Finals, University of Santo Tomas and National University face off in a no-tomorrow match at 1 p.m.

The Tigresses hope to reprise last year's epic championship comeback, while the Lady Bulldogs hope to get the job done after their bid to complete a perfect 16-0 season was foiled in last Wednesday's 68-78 defeat.

"Last year kasi we won the first game, then lost the second. I think, walang advantage or disadvantage na samin sa NU. We will just play harder para makuha namin yung Game 3. It's all in our mindset na we'll do our best para makuha namin ulit yung do-or-die game on Sunday," said UST coach Haydee Ong.

"Regardless sa Game 3, sabi ko nga sa mga bata, sobrang proud ako sa kanila, even in the first game kahit talo kami. Malungkot lang kami though walang regrets talaga. Even we're undersized, undermanned, no foreign student-athlete, pinakita ng mga bata na kaya namin," she added.

The Tigresses are gunning for a 13th championship and are eyeing to win consecutive titles since a four-peat from Seasons 50 to 53 (1987 to 1990).

The Lady Bulldogs seek to become the third-winningest program in the league by annexing their eighth crown overall.

UST eyes to bag the junior high school title and sweep top-ranked University of the East in Game 2 of the Finals at 11 a.m.

The Tiger Cubs seek to not only claim the first-ever regular UAAP JHS title, but to also put an end to a 23-year futility in UAAP high school basketball championships, which began in 2001 when they were led by Jun Cortez.

"Malaking bagay ito especially sa grupo namin, pati sa akin. Dahil nung 2001, Team B player pa ako ng UST, ‘yon yung time na nagchampion yung juniors. Ngayon, mas gusto ko makuha para naman matapos yung ilang years na hindi nagcchampion. Sana makuha na namin next game, magpprepare kami, papagalitan ko ulit sila, dapat huwag kami maging complacent. Viewing, lahat," UST head coach Noli Mejos said.

All games are available for free for local and international fans via the Pilipinas Live app. The games will be also broadcast live on free-to-air TV via One Sports (Ch. 6) and in high definition on the UAAP Varsity Channel (Ch. 263 on Cignal TV).