Ateneo outlasts UP in the battle of wills

Ateneo Blue Eagles reclaimed the crown, ending UP Fighting Maroons' brief reign,
after Game 3 of the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball finals on Monday, December 9
at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With eight teams vying for the top spot, the competition was fierce from the very
start. But after weeks of intense play, two teams emerged as the top contenders for
the championship title: Ateneo Blue Eagles and UP Fighting Maroons

Ateneo and UP reached the finals as the top seeds, boasting an 11-3 record in the
elimination round. The two teams led by Angel Koume and Carl Tamayo showed
outstanding performances throughout the season.

The finals match-up between two determined teams promised to be a fierce battle,

and it did not disappoint as Game 1 was a back-and-forth affair, with both sides
trading baskets and momentum that went down to the wire. Ultimately, UP emerged
victorious, 72–66.

Game 2 was even more intense, with both teams fighting tooth and nail for the win.
Up was set to claim a back-to-back championship title. But Ateneo had other plans.
With Kouame leading the charge once again, the Blue Eagles managed to hold off the
fighting maroons and force a do-or-die Game 3, with a final score of 65–55.

Facing each other once again in the winner-takes-all Game 3 showdown, the Blue
Eagles, backed by their passionate supporters, came out firing on all cylinders, taking
an early lead with a flurry of baskets.

Despite a valiant effort from the Maroons to attempt a comeback, with one minute
and 48 seconds remaining, Ateneo’s star Kouame converted a three-point play and
swatted away Carl Tamayo's attempt in the next sequence, hindering UP's comeback
push. 75-68.

Backed up by the cheers of its passionate supporters, Kouame pulled off a 19-point
career for Ateneo, with 12 rebounds and four blocks. Bagging the Finals MVP.

With a 2-1 lead in the finals, ADMU clinched the championship, capping off another
exciting season for the UAAP.