The match-up between the familiar foes will be this year’s draw.
The battle lines have been drawn for the upcoming season 88 men’s basketball finals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after the University of the Philippines (UP) and the De La Salle University (DLSU) booked their respective spots through their separate matches this week.
UP Fighting Maroons was first to secure its return to the finals, as the team narrowly defeated the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers in their Final Four match last Wednesday, December 3, 82-81.
Harold Alarcon led the team in the match, contributing 22 points, to fend off their rival team and secure their finals spot for the third straight year—the longest streak for the state university.
It was also a similar tale in the Final Four game between the DLSU Green Archers and the National University (NU) Bulldogs, where the final scoreboard read 78-73.
Jacob Cortez stood out after delivering a season-high performance, producing 29 points for the team.
The upcoming best-of-3 UAAP season 88 men’s basketball finals, which will begin on Wednesday, December 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, will be the third straight year that UP and DLSU will go against each other.
On their first bout in season 86, DLSU took home the crown, while UP was able to make it even by clinching the trophy for season 87.