Maroons turn back winless Red Warriors

MANILA, Philippines -- University of the Philippines added to the woes of University of the East, pulling away late and thwarting furious rallies by the Red Warriors, 91-81, Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila. 

Trailing by 10 points in the first half, the Fighting Maroons erected a big lead in the fourth quarter and held on. 

James Payosing had a double-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and a block in the win. Chicco Briones scored nine of his 13 markers in the second half. 

Gani Stevens flirted with a double-double himself with 12 points and nine rebounds. 

Ahead by as much as 10 points in the first half, UE saw its lead diminish in the third as Briones and Elliot Dimaculangan teamed up to push the Fighting Maroons in front, 73-65, heading into the fourth. 

Toper Lagat, then, made it a one-possession deficit, 70-73, with eight minutes to go. 

And while the Red Warriors kept in step with last year’s runners-up, Dikachi Ududo and Rey Remogat broke the game open, 84-75, with 4:21 remaining. 

Lagat tried to rally UE into it with timely triples, but finishing touches by Ududo and Payosing iced the game. 

Pre and Elliott Dimaculangan had points 11 apiece for UP, while Ududo and Yniguez contributed 10 each in the win. 

Lagat once again provided the offensive firepower for the Red Warriors with 26 points, to go with five assists and two rebounds. He, however, shot 10-of-24 from the field. 

Mo Tanedo added 14 while Cole Cruz-Dumont had 10. 

UP finished the first round of the eliminations with a 5-2 win-loss record, while the Red Warriors crashed to a 0-7 slate.

This is UE’s 27th consecutive defeat in the UAAP, tied for the second-longest losing streak alongside the 2012-2014 Fighting Maroons.