After a 74-70 loss to La Salle in Game 1, UP coach Goldwin Monteverde urged his team to contribute more beyond Harold Alarcon's efforts. He emphasized the need for collective performance to win the series. Monteverde expressed confidence in the Maroons' ability to bounce back.
In Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball finals, UP Fighting Maroons' Harold Alarcon delivered a stellar performance with 34 points on 12-of-22 field goals and 10-of-17 inside the arc. He scored 20 points in the first half, 6 in the third quarter, and 8 in the fourth. However, it was not enough to prevent a 74-70 loss to the De La Salle Green Archers, who dominated the closing stretch with a 21-12 run.
Aside from Alarcon, only Francis Nnoruka reached double digits for UP, posting 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds. The rest of the team shot a poor 16-of-41, including just 4 points in the fourth quarter.
Post-game, head coach Goldwin Monteverde stated, “Whatever Harold did for us for this game, we need that. It’s just that as a team, they need to contribute. It’s not just him.” He added, “I think the 34 points, of course, the team needs it. But it’s not just Harold who would win these finals for us. It should take a team to be able to overcome whatever we’re facing in terms of offense.”
He stressed the need for stronger defense and consistency in offensive rebounding. “For me, every finals game, we should want it more, especially on the defensive end. We need to be stronger,” Monteverde said.
This marks UP's fifth consecutive finals appearance under Monteverde, who began coaching in Season 84 when they ended a 36-year title drought. It is also the third straight year of UP versus La Salle in the finals. The roster includes holdovers from his first season like Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, and Gerry Abadiano.
Monteverde trusts the team's resilience, having started the season 0-2 before climbing to the second seed. “We just have to remind ourselves that we started the season 0-2. I believe our team knows how to bounce back,” he said. Adjustments are prepared for Game 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
