The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Men’s Basketball Team has clinched its 3rd straight Final Four berth in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84, joining the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the wings and what could very possibly be another epic Battle of Katipunan.
The UP Fighting Maroons join the neighboring university’s Ateneo Blue Eagles who earlier claimed a spot in the top 4 teams advancing to the next round after an undefeated run so far in the return of the college basketball league this 2022 after the Season 83 cancellation amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The UP squad secured its spot with a scorecard of 9 wins and 2 losses in the second round of eliminations, after its victory over the De La Salle Green Archers on April 23, 2022.
Whatever the result of the next 3 games on April 26 (UP vs UE, Ateneo vs Adamson), April 28 (UP vs UST, Ateneo vs FEU), and May 1 (UP vs Ateneo), both the Diliman-based teams will remain in the top 4 advancing to the semifinals round.
A highly anticipated rematch between the finalists of UAAP Season 81 seems to be on the horizon as the two ball clubs led the first round of eliminations after kicking off the first game of the season.
The UP Fighting Maroons’ historic comeback in 2018 from perennial cellar dweller to championship rival to the defending champions of Ateneo made waves around the world as the team made its first Final Four appearance since 1997, and its first finals appearance since 1986 when it last won the UAAP crown.
The UP community-backed team’s resurgence was eventually documented in a book released by the Nowhere to Go But UP Foundation titled, “Nowhere To Go But UP (How a Basketball Team Inspired a Nation)” authored by sports journalist Naveen Ganglani.
UP gloriously returned to the Final Four in the UAAP Season 82 of 2019, but its run was heartbreakingly stopped by the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.
Ateneo won both UAAP Season 81 and 82 and is now gunning for its 4th straight championship crown.
A UP-Ateneo matchup in the UAAP Season 84 finals would be a must-watch series.
The UAAP Season 84 Men’s Basketball games are free to watch on Cignal Play app, Smart Giga play app, and One Sports television.
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