NOVEMBER 28, 2018
Crowd cheering for the UP team during the UAAP 81 UP vs. Adamson game in a public viewing held in UP Diliman Sunken Garden.
INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
Cebuano wingman Paul Desiderio hit a midrange jumper with 6.6 seconds left to lift the University of the Philippines (UP) over the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 89-87, in overtime and send the Fighting Maroons to the finals of the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Maroons were down six in the extra session, 78-84, but UP fought its way back to reclaim the lead, 87-85, after a three pointer by Desiderio with 41.5 seconds remaining.
Adamson tied the count at 87-all after two made free throws with 27.1 ticks left but Desiderio was not yet done.
With the much taller Sean Maganti on him, the University of the Visayas (UV) product backed his way down and rose over Maganti to can the jumper and give the Maroons an 89-87 advantage with 6.6 seconds to go.
Jerom Lastimosa missed a triple on the other end as time expired to send UP to the finals, where it will be taking on the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles in a best-of-three series.
UP is making their first appearance in the finals for the first time in 32 years.
Juan Gomez de Liano scored 30 points to lead UP while Desiderio ended up with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds along with four steals. Bright Akhuetie finished with 13 markers and 17 boards.
Game 1 is on Saturday, December 1, at 3:30 p.m.