Maroons avoid upset axe, escape spirited Red Warriors
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 7:13 p.m.) – The UP Fighting Maroons fended off a no-quit UE Red Warriors squad to earn a share of the lead in the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament standings, 84-77, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday.
After jumping to an early 11-point lead, 14-3, the Maroons needed to survive a pesky UE squad until the late moments of the game.
Nikko Paranada exploded to the rim for an easy two to cut UP's lead down to three, 77-80, with 15.3 left in the game.
This after UP led by as much as 10, 79-69, with 42.8 left coming off of a Zavier Lucero basket.
UP big man Carl Tamayo went down with an apparent non-contact ankle injury in the previous possession.
But CJ Payawal sank back-to-back threes to erase the UP lead and get the Warriors within four, 79-75, with 29.8 left in the game.
The clock ticked against UE, though, as they were forced to play the foul game.
Two crucial misses by Kyle Paranada and makes by Harold Alarcon on the other end helped the Warriors hold on for the victory.
Despite the loss, UE gave the defending champs UP a run for their money as they erased a double-digit deficit to lead by as many as six points in the third period.
But a scoring run by the Maroons in the same quarter made it a neck and neck affair for most of the second half. Though a 15-3 run punctuated by a James Spencer bucket saw UP matching its biggest lead in the fourth salvo, 69-58.
UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde said that it remains a concern for the defending champions that they are unable to maintain consistency in their games.
"Started slow again, parang we really need to work on the inconsistency namin." said Monteverde after the game.
"I think, 'yung nag-start kami defensively, ang daming 3-points ng UE in the first half. I think dapat naming bigyan ng pansin for the upcoming games namin. Noong fourth quarter, we defended much better." he added.
Terrence Fortea claimed Player of the Game honors with 13 points, five assists and two rebounds.
Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano also scattered 13 markers each as well. Tamayo added seven rebounds, four steals and one assist in the game as well.
Fortea and Abadiano again stepped up as UP starting point guard JD Cagulangan sat out for another game after seeing action for the first time this season in the UP-Ateneo match last Sunday.
Payawal and Nikko Paranada finished with 21 and 20 points, respectively, for the Red Warriors.
UAAP Co-Player of the Week Luis Villegas finished with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. He also had four assists, two steals and two blocks.
The Fighting Maroons improve to 5-1 for the season while the Warriors tote an even 3-3 slate.
UP and UE play their final games of the first round over the weekend against UST and Ateneo, respectively.
The Scores:
UP 84 -- Tamayo 13, Fortea 13, Abadiano 13, Diouf 8, Spencer 7, Lucero 7, Gonzales 7, Calimag 5, Galinato 4, Ramos 3, Alarcon 2, Lina 2, Torculas 0.
UE 77 -- Payawal 21, N. Paranada 20, Villegas 10, Pagsanjan 9, K. Paranada 9, Stevens 3, Antiporda 3, Sawat 2, Beltran 0, Alcantara 0, Remogat 0.
Quarters: 18-13, 38-41, 59-56, 84-77.
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