The stage is set for a fiery rematch in the UAAP Season 87 finals between reigning champions De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines.
From the “spitgate” incident in Round 1 to the social media firestorm that followed, there’s been no shortage of drama between these two UAAP powerhouses throughout Season 87.
While their recent history will undoubtedly keep countless eyes glued to the screen for the three-game series – and although I too love the back-and-forth banter between players and fans – there’s still an extraordinary amount of basketball to focus on when you tune out the noise.
So, close your Twitter tabs and delete that half-written paragraph in the Facebook comments section of a speculative Korea-bound Kevin Quiambao post. Here are three things you’ll want to watch for in the La Salle-UP UAAP Finals rematch.
Motor Mike vs. QMB
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Round 1 match-up:
Quentin Millora-Brown – 10 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 80% shooting
Mike Phillips – 4 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 1/8 shooting
The big man match-up between Quentin Millora-Brown and Mike Phillips will be a sight to behold.
It’s unfortunate that we only got to see them battle it out once this season.
The last time Filipino-blooded, star-caliber big men collided in the UAAP Finals was back in Season 72.
Then, Ateneo’s Rabeh Al-Hussaini (or Nonoy Baclao, depending on your preference) and UE’s Elmer Espiritu faced off in a series that went all three games.
None of those bigs towered over the competition quite like QMB and Phillips do today, making this match-up all the more unique.
Millora-Brown and Phillips have both been dominant this season, but their playstyles couldn’t be more different.
Millora-Brown is one of the most dominant two-way presences in the paint the UAAP has ever seen. He can shut down opposing offenses almost single-handedly, using his imposing presence in the paint to deter opponents from even attempting shots.
On offense, the former Citadel big man excels at the post and dominates the offensive glass.
While Phillips is also imposing in the paint, head coach Topex Robinson loves letting Phillips run the floor, creating chaos and generating turnovers in favor of La Salle.
It’s common to see Phillips up near halfcourt, almost as if he were a guard, swiping the ball from unsuspecting ball handlers and turning them into fastbreak dunk highlights.
Millora-Brown got the best of Phillips in their lone match-up this season back in Round 1.
The 6-foot-10 big man posted 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in UP’s 68-56 victory, while Phillips was held to just 4 points and 8 boards on 1/8 shooting.
Phillips faces a substantial size disadvantage against Millora-Brown, so it’ll be interesting to see how the two fare in a three-game series.
One of La Salle’s top priorities will be to keep Millora-Brown out of the paint on both ends.
UAAP fans should watch for any strategies coach Robinson might have to help Phillips get his touches against Millora-Brown’s overwhelming size.
Will Francis Lopez Draw the KQ Match-up Full-Time?
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Let’s get this out of the way: no one in the UAAP has what it takes to completely stop Kevin Quiambao.
The two-time UAAP MVP possesses an unfair blend of size, shooting, and playmaking that Philippine collegiate basketball hasn’t really seen from a local player before. Even on a bad scoring night, Quiambao manages to create offensive opportunities for his teammates while adding high-level defense to more than make up for it.
If there is one player in the UAAP who has the tools to slow down Quiambao, it’s the explosive 6’6” sophomore wing sitting on UP’s bench: Francis Lopez.
Lopez may just be the most athletic player at the college level, and his physical gifts make him the perfect match-up against Quiambao on paper.
In the two UP-La Salle games this season, however, the reality of the match-up between KQ and Lopez could not be more different.
In the first-round battle, coach Goldwin Monteverde first tasked Mark Belmonte with guarding Quiambao while Lopez came off the bench.
Though Belmonte is normally a decent defender, he was often overpowered as Quiambao dominated his thinner frame. Lopez played more minutes than Belmonte, but the combined efforts of both players couldn’t stop Quiambao, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 44% eFG%.
Round 2 painted an even grimmer picture for the Lopez-Quiambao match-up, as Lopez played just 8 minutes due to foul trouble.
The evidence so far this season suggests Lopez’s athleticism and defensive instincts are still no match for Quiambao’s strength.
Even outside of the La Salle match-ups, Lopez has had an up-and-down season. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2023, fans expected Lopez to take a bigger leap in his sophomore season. However, his numbers have stagnated.
In his rookie year, Lopez averaged 9.00 points, 6.36 rebounds, 2.93 assists, and 1.50 turnovers per game on 41/27/58 shooting splits.
This season, those numbers have dropped to 10.20 points, 5.40 rebounds, 1.67 assists, and 2.00 turnovers per game on 50/24/51 shooting splits. His minutes have also decreased from 21.70 per game in 2023 to just 19.83 this season.
Despite Lopez’s rollercoaster season, I fully expect Monteverde to increase his minutes in the Finals and assign him the Quiambao match-up full-time.
As we approach the end of the UAAP season, both teams will likely shorten their rotation to keep their best players on the floor.
Even with his limitations, it’s hard to keep someone as talented as Lopez off the court.
Can UP Hear the Music?
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
In Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster film Oppenheimer, Niels Bohr says to J. Robert Oppenheimer: “Algebra is like sheet music. The important thing isn’t can you read music, it’s can you hear it. Can you hear the music, Robert?”
The Fighting Maroons have been presented with a mathematical problem they haven’t yet solved. Since Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 Finals, UP has shot a horrific 8/75 from beyond the arc, which translates to just 10.67%.
In the same span, La Salle has hit 37/107 from three, good for a 34.57% 3-point shooting percentage.
Getting outscored by 87 points in a four-game span from beyond the arc alone certainly isn’t ideal. It’s hard to beat any team, let alone one led by Kevin Quiambao, with such a drastic three-point disparity.
For most of Season 87, La Salle has made life difficult for opposing teams from beyond the arc. The Green Archers allow the fewest three-pointers made per game (5.14) and the second-fewest attempts (23.00) in the league, behind only their Finals counterparts.
By limiting opponents’ attempts from beyond the arc while knocking down their own highly efficient three-point shots, La Salle creates a mathematical advantage – one that coach Gold needs to solve if the Fighting Maroons want to avenge their Season 86 loss.
Fortunately, there are signs that UP has been working on solving this equation, even amidst their four-game losing streak. In Games 2 and 3 of the Season 86 Finals, La Salle attempted 38 and 31 three-pointers, respectively.
In the elimination rounds of Season 87, those numbers dropped to 24 attempts in Round 1 and just 14 attempts in Round 2.
UP is a big, defensive-minded team that won’t fare well in a three-point shootout against La Salle in the Finals. If they can continue to limit the Archers’ perimeter shooting while playing to their strengths on offense, UAAP fans can expect an entertaining Finals series.
