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UAAP Finals Game 3: All about heart and desire

Alfred Aroga of NU is double-teamed by Raymar Jose and Mac Belo of FEU. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)
Alfred Aroga of NU is double-teamed by Raymar Jose and Mac Belo of FEU. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

Both the NU Bulldogs and FEU Tamaraws vow to go all out for the prestigious UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball title on Wednesday when they slug it out in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This promises to be one of the best finals game in the UAAP in recent years as both squads are very evenly matched. Before Game 2, FEU had defeated NU in all their three encounters during the season, including its 75-70 conquest of Game 1 of the finals. The Tamaraws also scored victories over the Bulldogs in the elims – 71-62 in the first round and 74-70 in the second round.

But Game 2 saw a different NU team – one that’s determined to finally snap a three-game skid at the hands of FEU. The Bulldogs came out like a house on fire, dominating the Tamaraws on both ends of the court to tie the series with an emphatic 62-47 win. They proved why they are the league’s best defensive squad by limiting the up-tempo Tamaraws to just 47 markers, a far cry from their norm of 73.3 ppg. Clearly, NU executed its game plan better in Game 2.  And they wanted the win more.

Now, both NU and FEU are headed for a much talked about collision for this year’s UAAP plum. And this time, we can expect both camps to give it their all.

Here are the key factors for Game 3:

Offense versus defense

Which team will dictate the tempo? The Tamaraws want a fast-paced encounter, a high-scoring affair. Yes, they are the better offensive team. And they have the more explosive players. Mike Tolomia and Mac Belo have that ability to come out with monster games. And when Roger Pogoy, Achie Inigo and Anthony Hargrove join the fray, the FEU train will be tough to derail. In a shootout, the Tamaraws will likely come out with their hands raised when the smoke clears.

But if the Bulldogs repeat their amazing defensive job in Game 2 and turn the game into a more deliberate and controlled contest, NU might be celebrating UAAP championship for only the second time since it first salvaged the crown in 1954.

Alolino versus Tolomia

Arguably two of the best guards in college basketball today, NU’s Gelo Alolino and FEU’s Tolomia will play a huge role for their respective teams in Game 3. Both former National Youth team campaigners are the recognized leaders of their team. In this final dance, their ability to lead will matter a lot. Both are also expected to take the biggest shots in the game as they had the whole season. Their tasks will be daunting. But both Mike and Gelo have risen to the occasion many times before.

Belo versus Aroga/Rosario

Belo has been playing the best basketball of his young career. This early, many PBA scouts are already adding him to their wish list for the near future. But it’s not his skills that make heads turn. It’s rather his enthusiasm and unbelievable work ethics that make him the most valuable forward in Season 77. Belo works like a horse, going hard for rebounds and loose balls.  He also shows a lot of energy on defense. And of course, he has also impressed with his scoring ability both inside and outside. That three-point shot from the corner that doomed La Salle’s title defense bid is still very much in the minds of most UAAP fans. Once more, Belo is expected to play a hero’s role in Game 3.

Mac Belo of FEU drives against Troy Rosario of NU. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)
Mac Belo of FEU drives against Troy Rosario of NU. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)



But he will have his hands full with the tandem of NU’s Alfred Aroga and Troy Rosario, two of the best big men in the league today.  roga, a 6’7” behemoth from Cameroon, is a strong and quick center-forward that has guard skills. He is a tough defensive assignment for anyone. He can post up, dribble drive and occasionally hit from afar. Rosario is also at the top of his game, showing tremendous improvement from the previous year. Troy can post up and connect with accuracy from the perimeter, and even sometimes from beyond the arc. If both Aroga and Rosario bring their A-games on Wednesday, the Bulldogs will have a huge lift.

Outside shooting and the dribble drive offense

I have a feeling the team that shoots better from outside will bring home the bacon. Both units have steady gunmen. During the elims, FEU and NU had almost identical field goal percentages from the outside. But there are some games where certain players shine from long distance like Pogoy in Game 1, and JJay Alejandro in NU’s semis conquest of Ateneo. As both teams are known for their interior defense, outside shooting may be the big difference in Game 3.

Another key factor in this game will be the execution of the dribble drive offense that both teams use. This type of offense is one that’s hard to defend because of its unpredictability. Unlike most set plays that have sequences, the DDO (or Dribble Drive Motion) allows more freewheeling action for the players. In a big way, the smarter players are more likely to execute this offense better.  The Tamaraws and Bulldogs have adopted this offense since Nash Racela and Eric Altamirano took over the coaching chores of the respective squads. And so, it would be interesting to see which team can make use of this offense better in Game 3.

Drawing boards

Expect both coaches to come up with a few surprises reserved for a Game 3.  Altamirano and Racela are thinking coaches. They use strategy more than motivation. What’s even more interesting is that they know each other very well having worked together in the pros years back. FEU deputy coach Eric Gonzales, a long-time Racela sidekick, has also worked with Coach E several times in the past.

Both tacticians are also astute scouts and heavy on game preparation. They are the type that spends hours viewing game tapes and dissecting opponents’ tendencies. The week-long gap since Game 2 has surely given both coaches time to prepare for the final battle. 

Heart and desire

But it will all boil down to who wants it more. As mentioned earlier, NU has had one of the longest title droughts in local college basketball. The Bulldogs will want nothing more than to end this dry spell of 60 years. 

Altamirano’s message to the Bulldogs for Game 3: “Leave everything on the court.  No more tomorrow.”

FEU, on the other hand, hopes to win its 20th UAAP men’s basketball title and keep its record for most number of championships in the same event.  The Tamaraws last held the crown in 2005. They would want nothing more than to bring back the honor to Morayta.

Racela has this to say to his boys for Game 3: “Our attitude should be to go all out. Patay kung patay. Our objective is to outwork NU to have a better chance at the crown.”

This should be one for the books.