MANILA, Philippines — La Salle’s Jordan Bartlett stole the thunder from UP’s Kobe Paras with a title-clinching 11-8 win last night in the UAAP Last One Standing One-on-One Hoop Challenge at the Mall of Asia Atrium.
Bartlett, who’s red-shirting with the Archers, used his speed and shooting touch against the taller and weary Paras to reign supreme in the preseason event held ahead of the league’s Season 81 opening next month.
Bartlett knocked down four baskets from beyond the arc to open a 10-7 lead then after a Paras drive, secured his 11th point with a jumper.
Paras seemed drained after having gone through the Slam Dunk Contest minutes earlier, which he won after scoring a perfect 50 points slamming it home over Brent Paraiso in the dunk off with David Carlos (48 points).
National U star Ria Nabalan, meanwhile, grabbed top honors in the women’s division via an 8-6 dispatching of Adamson’s Natalia Prado.
Nabalan hit three successive shots from the two-point territory to seize an 8-5 cushion and held off Prado’s uprising in the final 1:30 to seal the deal.
Meanwhile, Adamson and La Salle struck hard in the other events, winning two apiece.
Falcon gunner Jerrick Ahanmisi ruled the Three-Point Shootout with seven points while Jerome Lastimosa topped the Skills Challenge.