UAAP Season 66 men's basketball tournament

The UAAP Season 66 men's basketball tournament refers to the men's basketball tournament of UAAP Season 66 (2003–04 season) of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The tournament was hosted by Ateneo de Manila University. ABS-CBN covered the games on Studio 23.

UAAP Season 66
Host schoolAteneo de Manila University
Men's Finals 1 2Wins
 Ateneo Blue Eagles 65 530
 FEU Tamaraws 83 692
DurationOctober 1 to 5
Arena(s)Araneta Coliseum
Finals MVPArwind Santos
Winning coachKoy Banal
Semifinalists UE Red Warriors
 De La Salle Green Archers
TV network(s)Studio 23 and TFC

After a UAAP Board decision that upheld the UE Red Warriors' protest against the De La Salle Green Archers, three teams ended tied for first after the elimination round. By virtue of having the superior point differential from games among the tied teams, the defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles secured the #1 seed; the FEU Tamaraws defeated UE in the second-seed playoff in a virtual game one of a best-of-3 series. Ateneo needed their twice-to-beat advantage to outlast La Salle in a fight-marred series to advance to the Finals, while FEU needed one game to eliminate a stubborn UE team. In the Finals, FEU coach Koy Banal led the team to victory over a tired Ateneo team coached by his brother Joel to win FEU's first UAAP men's basketball championship since 1997.

UE's James Yap was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season. Arwind Santos was named Finals MVP.

Elimination round

Pos Team Pld W L PCT GB Qualification
1  Ateneo Blue Eagles (H) 14 11 3 .786[lower-alpha 1] — Twice-to-beat in the semifinals
2  FEU Tamaraws 14 11 3 .786[lower-alpha 1] —
3  UE Red Warriors 14 11 3 .786[lower-alpha 1] — Twice-to-win in the semifinals
4  De La Salle Green Archers 14 7 7 .500 4
5  Adamson Falcons 14 5 9 .357[lower-alpha 2] 6
6  UST Growling Tigers 14 5 9 .357[lower-alpha 2] 6
7  UP Fighting Maroons 14 3 11 .214 8
8  NU Bulldogs 14 1 13 .071 10
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) winning percentage; 2) if tied for #2 or #4, one-game playoff; 3) head-to-head record; 4) head-to-head point differential; 5) overall point differential
(H) Host.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head goal averages: Ateneo +21, UE –5, FEU –16; second-seed playoff: FEU 80–75 UE
  2. Overall point differential: Adamson –59, UST –62

UE put the result of their 65–64 second round game loss against La Salle under protest as UE contended that Junjun Cabatu's last-second three-point buzzer beater for La Salle was made after the end-game buzzer sounded. After the UAAP Technical Committee, citing a review of the tapes that showed the ball was until in Cabatu's fingertips as time expired, concluded that indeed the ball was released after time expired, the UAAP Board upheld UE's protest and awarded UE the 64–62 victory. This earned them a playoff for the second seed against FEU as they ended up in a three-way tie for first place. Ateneo, with the superior point differential, won the #1 seed.[1]

Bracket

  Second-seed playoff Semifinals
#1 & #2 have twice-to-beat advantage		 Finals
Best-of-three series
                               
    1  Ateneo 72* 74  
    4  La Salle 76 68  
   
 
    1  Ateneo 65 53
    2  FEU 83 69
 
 
 UE 75   2  FEU 67   Number of asterisks denotes the number of overtimes.
 FEU 80   3  UE 63    

Second–seed playoff
September 20
FEU Tamaraws  80–75  UE Red Warriors
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

UE fell behind by as much as 18 points in the fourth quarter, but caught up with FEU due to their trapping defense. Olan Omiping hit a shot to start a 21–4 UE run, that was ended by RJ Masbang when he scored on a three-point play to cut FEU's lead to one point. Denok Miranda and Mark Isip initiated a 5–0 FEU run when UE coach Boyzie Zamar benched Masbang for shooter Charles Tan, who turned the ball over and fouled Santos that caused a three-point play to put FEU up by eight points. Up by three points, Santos tipped-in a Miranda miss to seal the win for FEU and the #2 seed.[2]

Semifinals

FEU–UE series
September 24
FEU Tamaraws  67–63  UE Red Warriors
FEU wins series in one game
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

FEU and UE were locked in a close game until the final minutes. Paul Artadi scored a three-pointer to put the Red Warriors up 61–60. RJ Rizada and Gerald Jones scored baskets late in the game to eliminate the Red Warriors anew.[3]

Ateneo–La Salle series

Game 1
September 24
Ateneo Blue Eagles  72–76 (OT)  De La Salle Green Archers
La Salle extends series
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

With former Chicago Bulls player Scott Burrell at court side, Ateneo led for much of the game; La Salle top scorer Mark Cardona was injured. La Salle's Joseph Yeo led the Archers back into the game; Jerwin Gaco scored on a put-back after a La Salle miss to force overtime. With 1:31 left in the overtime period, a bench-clearing brawl erupted after Gaco bumped LA Tenorio after a loose-ball scramble. Slo-mo replays later showed Tenorio sneaked in a punch to Gaco's side. After commissioner Joe Lipa and Araneta Coliseum personnel restored order, referees thrown out Ateneo's Magnum Membrere and La Salle's Ryan Araña. Yeo, who scored 31 points, and JV Casio led La Salle at the end of overtime to extend the series.[3]

Game 2
September 30
Ateneo Blue Eagles  74–68  De La Salle Green Archers
Ateneo wins series in two games
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

After the fracas at their first semifinals game, Tenorio was suspended. This gave Macky Escalona Tenorio's starting point-guard spot. Cardona, who was dressed to play, was not fielded in by La Salle coach Franz Pumaren. At the end of the first half, a commotion broke out between the two teams in the Araneta Coliseum tunnel as they went to their respective locker rooms. At the stands, there were at least three incidents of shoving, punching and debris-throwing involving officials and supporters. Lipa ordered a certain fan to be expelled after having a word war with the Ateneo supporters. Midway through the third quarter, Ateneo led 47–33 but La Salle crept up. At the fourth quarter, as Ateneo's shot clock was running out, center Paolo Bugia made an improbable three-pointer to pad their lead 63–59. Larry Fonacier scored six straight points in the final 61 seconds to put Ateneo up for good; after Joseph Yeo scored on a three-pointer to cut Ateneo's lead 71–68, Fonacier made two free-throws off Cabatu's unsportsmanlike foul to put them up by five points. A last-ditch foul from Casio on Macky Escalona settled the final score as Escalona split his free-throws.[4]

At the end of the game, another scuffle between the supporters broke out, and included former Ateneo players Enrico Villanueva, Rainier Sison and Andrew Cruz; both Sison and Cruz suffered bruises. Uniformed policemen, including the SWAT team, and Araneta Coliseum security guards restored order.[5]

Finals

In the finals, defending champion Ateneo coach Joel Banal faced his brother, FEU coach Koy.

Game 1
October 2
FEU Tamaraws  83–65  Ateneo Blue Eagles
FEU leads series 1–0
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

Ateneo threatened to blow the game wide open in the first quarter, but FEU responded with defense that gave Ateneo few easy points. The Tamaraws grabbed rebounds that led into easy fast break points to cruise to an easy win to lead the best-of-3 series 1–0.[6]

Game 2
October 5
FEU Tamaraws  69–53  Ateneo Blue Eagles
FEU wins series 2–0
Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City

FEU led for most of the game, with Cesar Catli, RJ Rizada and Rhagnee Singco scoring baskets to increase FEU's lead 39–26. Ateneo cut the lead 46–39 near the end of the third quarter thanks to Larry Fonacier's free-throws. However, Jeffrei Chan scored on a three-point shot to increase FEU's lead to ten to end the quarter. At the start of the fourth quarter, FEU led for good, 56–39, after a Gerald Jones shot. The Eagles threatened anew late in the fourth, but Dennis Miranda converted a three-point shot with 2:31 left to put the Eagles away, 63–50. FEU won their first UAAP men's basketball championship since 1997.[7]

Broadcast notes

UAAP Final Four

September 25, 2003

GamePlay-by-playAnalystTeam
Game 1Boom GonzalezRandy SacdalanFEU vs. UE
Game 1Jude TurcuatoRyan GregorioDLSU vs. ADMU

September 30, 2003

GamePlay-by-playAnalystTeam
Game 2Boom GonzalezRandy SacdalanDLSU vs. ADMU

UAAP Finals
GamePlay-by-playAnalyst
Game 1Jude TurcuatoRandy Sacdalan
Game 2Jude TurcuatoRyan Gregorio

References
  1. Giongco, Nick (2003-09-13). "UE protest upheld; Ateneo vs La Salle in semis". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  2. "Tamaraws strike". Manila Bulletin. 2003-09-21. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  3. Giongco, Nick (2003-09-25). "DLSU forces do-or-die". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  4. Giongco, Nick (2003-09-30). "Ateneo going to the dance". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  5. Talao, Tito (2003-09-30). "Hooliganism mars KO game". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  6. Giongco, Nick (2003-10-02). "Tired Eagles fall prey to Tams". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  7. Giongco, Nick (2003-10-05). "Tamaraws all the way". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
Preceded by
Season 65 (2002)		 UAAP men's basketball seasons
Season 66 (2003) basketball		 Succeeded by
Season 67 (2004)
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