UP, La Salle to settle unfinished business in UAAP hoops trilogy

TITLEHOLDER University of the Philippines (UP) and De La Salle University (DLSU) waltz in another Last Dance to settle an unfinished business in an ultimate bid to be crowned as the UAAP's best.

- 

HAROLD ALARCON

(UAAP)

As bumpy as their campaigns were after winless starts, the stars have aligned after all for a trilogy starting on Wednesday in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.

War erupts at 4 p.m. with their armies clad in Maroon and Green in an expected sellout crowd behind for the third installment of brewing rivalry after splitting the crown in the last two seasons.

Last season's champ UP, in its fifth straight finals, eyes its second straight crown and fifth overall in history, while La Salle, winner of Season 86, seeks redemption for an 11^th title bid — in its 19^th finals appearance as the most in the league.

But as epic and pressuring the trilogy narrative is, coach Goldwin Monteverde urges his wards to focus on one thing that only matters — themselves.