UP ‘refused to lose’ in breakthrough Game 3 win, says coach Goldwin Monteverde

It all came down to mindset as to how the UP Fighting Maroons finally broke through after a string of runner-up finishes in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament on Sunday.

Finding themselves in a similar situation that they did in the past two Finals against the DLSU Green Archers and the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the Fighting Maroons went against what history had handed to them in Seasons 85 and 86.

This time around in Season 87, UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde said that it had to do with they’re refusal to let it happen again — where they squandered a one-game lead to relinquish the championship in three games.

[RELATED: UP Fighting Maroons back on top of UAAP mountain with dramatic Game 3 win over La Salle]

According to him, UP simply refused to let history repeat itself — even as another comeback was in the works for the DLSU Green Archers.

“They really refused to lose eh. Talagang whatever happens, yung habol nila, yung paglaban sa huli. Di naman kami… We have some tall players, but seeing them really go for the rebound, giving up the effort na talagang gusto nila manalo,” said Monteverde.

After leading by as many as 14 points, UP looked like it was once again on the verge of collapse when the Green Archers found themselves within a point, 61-60, off of a Lian Ramiro basket with 1:31 left in regulation.

But Harold Alarcon found Francis Lopez open in rainbow country, assisting on a booming triple that created just enough breathing room for the Fighting Maroons to clinch the championship.

Knowing that a big core of his players understood the pain of losing last year, and the year before that, Monteverde said they simply recalled what it felt to be on the wrong side of the championship fight.

“Alam mo being here last season, after nung last game namin, naisip ko nga kanina parang kailan lang. And syempre, napagusapan namin as a team na we’ll come back stronger next season. Prepare well, which you know, again I’ll give it to sa mga boys namin. They really worked hard this season. So very very happy with this season,” coach Gold said.

Monteverde also reveled in being able to give his players — JD Cagulangan and Quentin Millora-Brown — a fitting exit to the end of their UAAP careers.

“Very happy, especially syempre marami tayong… May mga nakasama ka na wala na, I’m very happy for them na ganito sila umalis. JD, Q. Happy ako kasi nakita ko yung dinamdam ng team last season. Tapos makita yung saya nila ngayon, sakin walang kapalit yun,” he said.

Monteverde and the Fighting Maroons are set to celebrate the championship among with other achievements for UP’s varsity teams in a bonfire celebration at the Diliman campus on Monday night.

UP has now won two championships in the last four seasons after previously waiting for 36 years before breaking the drought in 2022.