After two seasons as runners-up, the UP Fighting Maroons have erased the sting of defeat, capturing the UAAP Season 87 title with a thrilling 66-62 Game 3 victory over the DLSU Green Archers.
Graduating star guard JD Cagulangan led the charge with 12 points, showcasing his relentless drives in transition against DLSU's towering defenders.
Quentin Millora-Brown also played a key role, capitalizing on the team's high-low actions, finishing with 14 points and ten rebounds.
It was a redemption game for Francis Lopez, who attacked the rim relentlessly to create offense and provided strong rim protection.
He finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a block, but his most significant contribution came with a crucial 3-pointer that gave UP a 64-60 lead in the final moments.
The story of the game was the inside dominance of UP, as they controlled the tally in terms of rebounding (42-36).
This allowed them to have more second chance opportunities (12-7) and score more frequently inside the shaded area (36-26).
For DLSU, they did not go out in Game 3 without a fight, scoring 14 straight points to erase UP's third-quarter lead.
However, UAAP fans might have seen the last of back-to-back Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao, who was neutralized by UP's defense with only 13 points and three rebounds.
Fellow Mythical Five member Mike Phillips also performed his heart out with 18 points and 12 rebounds
UP has now won their fourth UAAP championship and their second in the past four seasons.
This success comes under the leadership of head coach Goldwin Monteverde.