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UAAP Season 66 men's basketball tournament

UAAP Season 66
Host school Ateneo de Manila University
Men's Finals 1 2 Wins
Ateneo school colors Ateneo Blue Eagles 65 53 0
FEU school colors FEU Tamaraws 83 69 2
Duration October 1 to 5
Arena(s) Araneta Coliseum
Finals MVP Arwind Santos
Winning coach Koy Banal
Semifinalists UE school colors UE Red Warriors
La Salle school colors De La Salle Green Archers
TV network(s) Studio 23 and TFC
< Season 65 2003 Season 67 >
Qualified for semifinals with twice to beat advantage
Qualified for semifinals

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.

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.

Host team in boldface.

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.

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. Dennis 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.


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