MANILA, Philippines – As only heated rivals can deliver, the blockbuster battle between defending UAAP men’s basketball champion La Salle and three-peat finalist UP featured multiple high and low points, culminating in a roller-coaster 68-56 finish in favor of the on-point Green Archers. There was Kevin Quiambao’s usual MVP-level performance with a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, there was Joshua David’s four-triple eruption in La Salle’s late pullaway, and there was Harold Alarcon’s near-solo comeback effort with 12 third-quarter points for UP to erase a 20-point deficit. However, one of the most intriguing points of the contest happened just a step outside the hardwood, as both UP and La Salle coaching staffs charged at one another seemingly out of nowhere, causing a game stoppage near the end of the third frame.
Green Archers assistant coach Gian Nazario downplayed the fracas after the game, saying it was all part of the game. “Actually, I was surprised that the coaches were standing up and started pointing, so I just stood up and pointed along with them,” he joked in Filipino. “But kidding aside, emotions were high at that point.
I don’t really know what transpired, but I’m just there to protect my coaches as well. So when everyone was standing up, I wanted to be united with them. Again, emotions.
We were all carried away and I think it was pacified well. Part of the game.” UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde, however, had a different view on the .