00:00After defeating the defending champions, the Lasalgrin Archers,
00:03the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons needs just one more win
00:07to reclaim the championship in this year's UAAP Men's Basketball.
00:11Jayak Puchamaykabayaka for the details.
00:16The UP Fighting Maroons secured a game-on of the UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball Finals,
00:2273-65 last night at the Ornetta Coliseum.
00:26The game was closely contested at halftime, but the momentum shifted in the third quarter,
00:31where UP outscored Lasal with 8-point lead.
00:33The DLSU displayed the heart of a champion in the final quarter,
00:37narrowing the gap to just 4 points with 1 minute and 42 seconds left in the game.
00:42But the Maroons maintained their strong strategy,
00:44lead by their standout player Quentin Loyola-Brown,
00:48finishing the game with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists.
00:52We're in the finals and this is all that work that we put in
00:55in the first two rounds and the final four, you know, it's leading up to this moment.
00:59So, you know, this is the biggest stage for us as a team, as individuals,
01:04and just giving everything we have is just how we approach it.
01:09The reigning MVP Kevin Quimbao struggled after scoring 18 points in the first two quarters
01:15and managed only one point in the second half.
01:18UP head coach Colvin Monteverde praised rookie Jacob Baila
01:21for stepping up and taking the responsibility of Quimbao.
01:25For a rookie to defend Kevin's game,
01:31showing a lot of heart on his first time to play in the UAP finals,
01:36you know, for me it's really amazing on his part that he did that.
01:42Meanwhile, DLSU head coach Topix Robinson remains confident that his team can bounce back.
01:49The only thing that I told the team is there's a reason that this is a series.
01:52You know, you don't win a championship by just winning one game.
01:56You need to win two games.
01:57So we still have a chance.
01:59We've been in this situation before.
02:03We just have to keep on, you know, being positive.
02:06The game on Wednesday will determine whether the fight in Maroons
02:09will secure the title after two years,
02:11or if the Green Archers will force a do-or-die Game 3.
02:15Jamaica Bayaka, from The National TV Network, for a new and better Philippines.
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