Pasay city: Defending champion University of the Philippines and De La Salle University are set to renew their rivalry in the UAAP men's basketball best-of-three finals at Mall of Asia Arena, starting Wednesday. The Fighting Maroons and the Green Archers, who split their first two title duels, will face off in Game 1 at 4 p.m.

According to Philippines News Agency, UP finished the eliminations at No. 2 and overcame University of Santo Tomas in the semifinals to secure a spot in the finals for the fifth straight season. On the other hand, La Salle defeated top seed National University twice to advance to the championship round for the third consecutive time.

Coach Goldwin Monteverde, making his fifth finals appearance with UP since taking over in Season 84 (2022), expressed pride in his team's journey. Starting the season with two losses, the team showed resilience and determination, earning Monteverde's trust in their ability to rise to the occasion.

La Salle coach Topex Robinson emphasized the importance of respect for their opponents. Acknowledging UP's fifth consecutive finals appearance, Robinson noted that it presents a significant challenge for his team. The Green Archers had previously defeated the Fighting Maroons twice in the eliminations, adding another layer of intrigue to the finals matchup.

In other UAAP news, the NU Lady Bulldogs are aiming for back-to-back titles and their ninth overall against UST in Game 2 of their title showdown at 1 p.m. NU coach DA Olan stressed the importance of maintaining focus and effort as they prepare for UST to come out strong.

Additionally, in the 16U division, NU-Nazareth School will attempt to secure a title sweep against Far Eastern University-Diliman at 11 a.m.