It was the University of the Philippines’ frontline turn to shine as the defending champions dispatched the also-ran University of the East, 70-61, to remain in solo second place in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Saturday afternoon at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
With Sean Alter and Nigerian forward Francis Nnoruka asserting their presence inside, the Fighting Maroons relied on a strong first-half performance to secure their fourth consecutive win.
The victory improved their record to 8-3 and brought them closer to clinching an eighth Final Four berth.
Beyond spoiling the return of UE head coach Chris Gavina from a four-game suspension, the win also strengthened UP’s pursuit of the coveted twice-to-beat incentive.
They widened the gap from third-ranked De La Salle University (6-4) and the joint fourth-place teams — University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, and Ateneo de Manila University (5-5).
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“I guess ‘yon yung naging effect of it kasi our team is heavy on guards, so sometimes… I guess, as the saying goes, we picked our poison. Just like Sean and Francis, they just seized yung opportunities nila to play,” Fighting Maroons assistant coach Christian Luanzon said after his team outscored the Red Warriors in the paint, 40-22.
“At the same time, tulad nung sabi ni Sean, yung tiwala rin sa kanila ng mga guards of giving up the basketball and ball screens or a blitz and a hard show. What’s important is that they are ready for it, and they were,” he added.
UE struck first with a 3-0 lead, but Alter tallied eight points and grabbed six rebounds to power UP’s 19-5 surge, giving the Fighting Maroons an 11-point, 19-8 advantage after the opening period.
UP’s commanding first-quarter performance allowed them to build a 44-25 halftime lead. They then fired 13 straight points in the third quarter — highlighted by back-to-back inside hits from Terrence Fortea and an and-one layup by Gani Stevens — pushing the Red Warriors into a game-high 26-point deficit, 59-33, with 2:33 remaining in the frame.
Six straight points by rookie guard Toper Lagat brought UE closer at 60-46 early in the fourth quarter. However, Nnoruka responded with an eight-point swing to restore a 68-49 cushion, effectively sealing UP’s eighth win in 11 outings with 4:49 remaining.
Nnoruka finished with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 12 rebounds, four blocks, four assists, and one steal, posting a game-high plus-35 rating. Alter contributed 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting, along with six rebounds, two blocks, and one assist.
With top gun Harold Alarcon taking second fiddle, team captain Gerry Abadiano added 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Fortea chipped in six points, two rebounds, two steals, and one assist.
Joshua Coronel finally got his first points in the UAAP, finishing with four.
UP now seeks revenge when it faces Adamson to open a tough three-game stretch on Sunday, November 16, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Fighting Maroons’ remaining elimination round opponents are Ateneo and De La Salle.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, the Red Warriors — who played without team captain John Abate — remained winless at 0-11. They extended their dry spell to 17 straight games dating back to the second round of Season 87.
Lagat led UE with 21 points, three rebounds, and one block, while Wello Lingolingo added 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Nigerian center Precious Momowei, the team’s leading scorer entering the game with 18.1 points per outing, was limited to four points on 2-of-5 shooting. He still contributed 12 rebounds, one steal, and one block.
The Red Warriors aim to break their losing streak against a slumping UST side on Wednesday, November 12, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Scores:
UP (70) – Nnoruka 16, Alter 13, Abadiano 10, Fortea 6, Remogat 5, Alarcon 4, Coronel 4, Belmonte 4, Stevens 3, Bayla 3, Palanca 2, Yñiguez 0, Briones 0, Andres 0, Torres 0, Felicilda 0.
UE (61) – Lagat 21, Lingolingo 11, Despi 9, Malaga 6, Momowei 4, Distrito 4, Datumalim 3, Cabero 2, Mulingtapang 1, Rosete 0, Robles 0, Jimenez 0.
Quarterscores: 19-8, 44-25, 60-40, 70-61
