For the first time ever, the ECJ Perpetual Trophy is leaving the Playtime Filoil Centre — and it’s headed to Diliman.
University of the Philippines cemented its dynasty in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup by completing a historic three-peat, routing National University, 79-65, in the winner-takes-all finale of the 18th edition of the tournament presented by ABC Tile Adhesive.
Shaking off a two-week layoff with ease, the Fighting Maroons showed no signs of rust as they put an emphatic end to NU’s Cinderella run on Sunday.
They also became the first team to clinch three consecutive titles in the country’s premiere collegiate preseason basketball tilt.
UP’s dominant campaign earned them the ECJ Perpetual Trophy — an award conceptualized and constructed specifically for any squad able to complete a three-peat in the long-running tournament supported by Playtime Cares, Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Bostik El Heneral, Jiang Nan Hotpot, Lamtex Pipes, Smart, and Puso Pilipinas as major sponsors, with Spalding as the official game ball, and Harbor Star, Wallem, Akari, BDO, Tela.com Athletics, Nature’s Spring, Reyes Barbecue, and Brothers Burger as minor backers.
Gerry Abadiano led the way with 13 points, three steals, and two rebounds, earning Finals MVP honors as well as being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
He sparked a crucial 13-6 run in the second quarter, scoring seven points in the stretch to turn a slim six-point lead into a commanding 46-33 halftime advantage.
Francis Nnoruka provided a strong presence inside with a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Gani Stevens contributed 13 points, nine boards, and four assists in a balanced UP attack.
The Fighting Maroons led by as much as 23 points in the second half as the Bulldogs struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 31% from the field and converting only 20 of their 36 attempts from the free throw line.
Though UP entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the UAAP bracket, their championship run included a gritty quarterfinal win over Benilde and a statement semifinal triumph against then-undefeated La Salle.
NU, meanwhile, was the lowest seed in the UAAP grouping but pulled off stunning upsets over NCAA top seed Letran and a red-hot University of Santo Tomas squad to reach the finals.
Jake Figueroa led the Bulldogs with 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists, while Kenshin Padrones added 10 markers. Mythical Team member Jolo Manansala was limited to just six points in 13 minutes of play, unable to make a significant impact against UP’s smothering defense.
Joining Abadiano and Manansala on the Mythical Five were Kean Baclaan of La Salle, Gelo Crisostomo of UST, and Titing Manalili of Letran.
Despite falling short of the crown, the Bulldogs didn’t go home empty-handed. Second-year sharpshooter Reinhard Jumamoy won the inaugural Hanes 3-Point Shootout, edging out La Salle’s Mason Amos and Benilde’s Ernest Daja in the finals.
Jumamoy tallied 14 points in the side event to claim the P10,000 prize, narrowly beating Amos’ 13 and Daja’s 10. Also competing in the shootout were Adamson’s Matty Erolon, UE’s Keian Spandonis, EAC’s Nico Quinal, and UP’s Nicco Tan.
The Scores:
UP 79 – Nnoruka 15, Abadiano 13, Stevens 13, Remogat 8, Torres 7, Alarcon 7, Fortea 6, Alter 4, Yniguez 3, Belmonte 2, Bayla 1, Briones 0, Felicilda 0
NU 65 – Figueroa 12, Padrones 10, Santiago 9, Palacielo 6, Manansala 6, Francisco 6, Enriquez 4, John 4, Jumamoy 3, Garcia 3, Dela Cruz 2, Solomon 0, Parks 0, Navarro 0
Quarterscores: 27-21, 48-37, 70-49, 79-65
