UP ends 36 years of UAAP futility
By
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 t he Blue Eagles si de, Cagulangan took matters into his own hands as he melted the
heading into the semifinals with 13 points.
Stallion Laguna Football Club, meanwhile, took the last seat in the Final Four after holding onetime Copa champions United City
Football Club to a scoreless draw.
S t a l l i on Laguna was determined to score a winnas they pounded on the United City goal for the opener but goalkeeper Matt Silva and his backline held firm.
Until the final moments of the match, though, Stallion-Laguna still could not penetrate through
the defense of United City with substitute goalkeeper Kenn James thwarting all the attempts.
The outcome allowed Stallion Laguna to leapfrog Maharlika Manila with a better goal difference of -3 compared to the latter’s -7 as both sides ended the elimination round with 4 points each./