UP’s Francis Lopez took full advantage of a chance to make up for his miscues in Game 2 of the UAAP Finals, even if statistically his gamble had a low chance of paying off.
The word “chance” can be described as “polysemous,” or one with multiple meanings. It can mean “probability,” as in the chance of a shot going in, or “opportunity,” as in “given another chance.”
In the case of Francis Lopez, the UP Fighting Maroons’ prodigious sophomore forward, both definitions fused into one in the dying minutes of Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball finals between UP and the defending champions De La Salle Green Archers.
With around 85 seconds left and the Fighting Maroons clinging for dear life at 61-60, Harold Alarcon drove straight into a double team, which soon became a triple team when Kevin Quiambao left his man and came over to join the defensive wall.
His man was Lopez, who raised both his arms to signal he was open. Alarcon whipped the ball to Lopez, and the young forward coolly set his body into motion to take a three-point shot.
If sports analytics is to be believed, Lopez’s three-point attempt had a 25% chance of going in, as he had been 1 of 4 from beyond the arc prior to this shot and had been shooting at around a 24.5% clip for the season.
Yet Lopez wanted to take that shot, and not just because he was open. It was his chance at redemption for his miscues at the end of Game 2: those missed free throws (four straight), a turnover, and a late pass that all but helped ensure that a Game 3 would happen. And with this narrative buzzing around him, Lopez knew what was on the line.
“You know, the game wasn’t over, so I gotta keep my composure,” he told a group of reporters after the Fighting Maroons were crowned champions.
So despite a statistically low chance of success, Francis Lopez seized the chance to rewrite his legacy by taking the most important shot of the UAAP Season 87 Finals. It went in, and UP was on its way to a second title in four seasons.
And should you somehow chance upon Francis Lopez, and if by chance you are one of his so-called haters who mercilessly bashed him for his Game 2 gaffes, know this: your words mean nothing to him, although he might have choice words for you.
“Hey, like I said, I don’t care about what they say, you know,” he said when asked about all that online criticism that was aimed at him. “And I’m not here to please anybody from the outside, man. I’m not here to please anybody. As a matter of fact, f— them, man. I don’t give a sh–. I don’t give a sh–. You know, what I care about is the team.”

The team, evidently, also deeply cares about him, for they stood by him and shielded him from all those critics who derided his Game 2 performance. These incidents are the type that can make or break a team, especially one standing on the precipice of victory, but the Fighting Maroons lived up to their moniker and fought back as a team by rallying around their teammate.
“From my teammates and coaches, I want to first of all thank them for still believing in me after the Game 2 loss,” Lopez said. “It was a huge loss, especially for me. You know, I let the team down in that game. But, you know, that didn’t stop me to work. Still work on my shots, work on my confidence, you know, on my confidence. And, you know, I’m just really happy. It’s just a surreal feeling.”
JD Cagulangan, the finals MVP, spoke for the rest of the team when he said: “I’m happy for Francis, by the way. I’m really happy for Francis. How he overcame all the negativities that happened to him.”
Alarcon’s pass encapsulated the team’s belief in Lopez, a belief that he repaid in dividends.
“They still trusted me. You know, after that loss, you know, we still was able to talk to one another. And it was just really a surreal moment, man. They kept on believing in me, and I’m just really happy that they were still there for me even though we got that loss. And, you know, we were able to conquer this time. So, yep, I’m really happy.”
Lopez is also incredibly grateful for all those who helped the team achieve its goal of redemption.
“All the hard work, man. All the support, especially from the UP community and family. And, you know, I want to thank the man above, man. The man above, man. Thank you so much, man. We really worked hard for this one. We really worked hard.”
This championship is extra special for Francis Lopez for another, more personal reason. Despite his many accolades, he had not, until Sunday night, won any major title in his young playing career.
“You know what’s inside of us. And I’m just really happy that we got this one. And I can finally say that I’m officially a champion.
“Actually, this is my first time officially to win a championship in my entire life,” he admitted.
With the Fighting Maroons’ recruitment program in place, chances are it won’t be his last.
Banner Images from Kieran Punan of KLIQ, Inc.