After failing to clinch the crown in UAAP Season 86, both UP and NU completed their respective redemption runs in 2024.
It was a good year for the challengers in UAAP seniors basketball as last year’s runners-up ended up with successful revenge missions against their respective foes in two fantastic three-game Finals series.
The UP Fighting Maroons, coming off of back-to-back second place finishes, finally banished the ghost of Finals past as they reclaimed the crown in UAAP Season 87, beating Kevin Quiambao and the DLSU Green Archers in a three-game war.
Meanwhile, the NU Lady Bulldogs, who saw their 7-season reign end in 2023, got back at the UST Growling Tigresses to win their eighth title in the past nine seasons.
Before the year turns and we head into a new basketball season in 2025, let’s look back on the path to UAAP glory for the UP Fighting Maroons, and the NU Lady Bulldogs.
Breakthrough: UP snaps streak of bridesmaid finishes
Finally, champions again.
The UP Fighting Maroons eked out a tough three-game series win over two-time MVP Kevin Quiambao to take the crown for the first time since UAAP Season 84.
Despite Quiambao’s best efforts to lead the Green Archers back in Game 3, Francis Lopez capped his own in-series redemption performance with a booming triple with 1:12 remaining in the ball game to push UP ahead, 64-60.
[RELATED: UP Fighting Maroons back on top of UAAP mountain with dramatic Game 3 win over La Salle]
With the title on the line and immense pressure, UP one-and-done big man Quentin Millora-Brown also netted the championship-clinching free throws to seal the victory for Diliman.
After the pain of Seasons 85 and 86, where they fell so painstakingly close from taking the crown, UP could hardly keep their emotions in. Now that they were back, there was nothing sweeter.
“Well, sa akin, very thankful ako especially sa mga bata na you know, from the start ng season after namin matalo last year. Araw-araw, tinatrabaho nila, how they worked hard for it. Even during the course of the season, ‘yung ups and downs namin, I’m very proud of each and everyone sa team namin,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
Order restored: NU back on top
The NU Lady Bulldogs learned their lesson from last year’s Finals loss.
After entering unfamiliar territory as challengers in UAAP Season 87, the Lady Bulldogs passed their tests with flying colors, en route to a near-perfect redemption run.
Flaunting a 16-1 record to win their eighth title in the past nine seasons, NU could hardly be deterred, even as they lost a pivotal Game 2 closeout game against Season 86 tormentors in the UST Growling Tigresses.
With Camille Clarin completing her comeback year for NU, there was hardly anything that could stop NU’s desire to regain the title.
Even as UST threatened to come back in Game 3, Clarin snatched the ball from UST rookie Karylle Sierba and made two foul shots to clinch redemption for the Jhocson-based cagers, 78-73.
[RELATED: NU Lady Bulldogs regain UAAP crown with near-perfect redemption season]
Though facing more adversity in this year’s campaign, Clarin said that it made victory all the more worth it for the Lady Bulldogs. Now that they’ve returned to their winning ways, they aren’t about to relinquish the throne once again.
“I think everything is sweeter once you overcome hardship. I think that's the name of the game for us this season. Even last game, Game 2. We swept already, it was all leading up to a perfect moment for us to finishing Game 2, but it didn't happen. It was one more obstacle we needed to overcome and it was just a testament to everything we've worked for this year,” said Clarin.
“Every second counted, every practice, every drill that we've done, every time we chose to listen to the coaches and came together in the games that were close. All of that led to this moment and that's why we won.” she added.
Seeing both UP and NU bounce back from losing seasons, both teams will now work to make it a winning tradition once they revert back to work in 2025.