John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

UAAP S87 MBB Final Four - Harold Alarcon-07808

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732967208973UAAP S87 MBB Final Four - Harold Alarcon-07808.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">UP Fighting Maroons&#x27; Harold Alarcon. <em>UAAP Media</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA, Philippines – University of the Philippines (UP) star Harold Alarcon believes that the team is building its character amid failures and adversities.</p><p>Although the Fighting Maroons are on their way to their fourth straight UAAP Finals, they only won one championship out of the last three—their breakthrough crown in Season 84, ending a 36-year title drought.</p><p>They settled for silver medal finishes in Seasons 85 and 86 after falling to Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University in the Finals, respectively.</p><p>But for Alarcon, this has fueled them to be better and get collected—as players and as a team—inside the court.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung mga talong ganon, mga failures, big help din sa amin as a team and as a player kasi dun kami maggo-grow e. Dun kami magle-learn sa mga mistakes namin. Dun pa mas lalo nade-develop &#x27;yung character namin as a team,&quot; said Alarcon after powering UP to a 78-69 beating of University of Santo Tomas on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/11/30/uaap-fighting-maroons-return-to-finals-after-ousting-tigers-1819"><strong>READ: UAAP: Alarcon waxes hot in the second half as UP makes Finals return at UST’s expense<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;Nakita namin kung paano kami mag-respond sa mga ganu&#x27;ng sitwasyon, pa&#x27;no kami naging buo, naging team pa sa loob. Nakatulong sa &#x27;min &#x27;yun papasok sa Finals, na nangyari sa &#x27;min &#x27;yon, may mga adversity, may mga hindi okay na nangyayari,&quot; he went on.</p><p>&quot;The way na i-handle namin &#x27;yung mga ganu&#x27;ng bagay, makakatulong siya sa &#x27;min papasok sa Finals.&quot;</p><p>Alarcon, a game after dropping a career-high 33 points, tallied 16 points—eight of those in the fourth canto, firing crucial baskets to keep the separation into their favor.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/20/uaap-alarcon-carries-up-past-ue-to-end-elims-on-sweet-note-1844"><strong>READ: UAAP: Alarcon carries UP past UE to end elims on sweet note<br/></strong></a></div><p>But his explosion did not come easy, as the 6-foot-1 guard overcame a slow start, only scoring two points in the first half.</p><p>Alarcon said he had to adjust to the defense UST gave him—and he succeeded.</p><p>&quot;Nung first half, parang inamin ko sa sarili ko [na] parang pilit &#x27;yung first half ko eh, kaya parang &#x27;di napupunta sa &#x27;kin. So nag-adjust ako second half, kung ano&#x27;ng binibigay nila sa &#x27;kin, naghahanap lang ako ng paraan,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said the Fighting Maroons will be ready for whoever reaches the Finals, which is likely to be the top-seed Green Archers—if ever, a repeat of the Season 86 championship match.</p><p>As of writing, in-form La Salle is leading over Adamson University in the second quarter, 28-17.</p><p>&quot;Siguro para sa &#x27;kin, expect nothing na lang pero magpe-prepare, magiging ready lang kami for everything na mangyayari sa Finals. &#x27;Yun nga, masakit &#x27;yung nangyari sa amin nung dalawang Finals na runner-up. Tingnan na lang natin this season,&quot; said Alarcon.<strong><br/></strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bydhLJ5LnZ8??si=6OzrpQdinD2h1GxN&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"'Yung mga talo na gano'n, mga failures, big help din sa amin as a team and as a player kasi dun kami maggo-grow e."</p>

"'Yung mga talo na gano'n, mga failures, big help din sa amin as a team and as a player kasi dun kami maggo-grow e."

UAAP: For Alarcon, UP builds character through adversities, failures

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UAAP: For Alarcon, UP builds character through adversities, failures

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 30, 2024 08:01 PM PHT

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