SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons extended their winning streak to five games in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament after overpowering the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 91-70, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday, November 2.
Senegalese big man Malick Diouf came to play for UP and finished with a UAAP career-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and a +/- of +30 in the 21-point win.
Three more players scored in double-digits for the well-balanced Fighting Maroons, with Carl Tamayo adding 18 points, while Zav Lucero and Terrence Fortea contributing 14 and 12 markers, respectively.
With the victory, the league-leading Fighting Maroons improved their record to 8-1, while the Soaring Falcons, who opened their second-round campaign on the wrong foot, fell to 3-5.
After leading by only 5 points at halftime, 50-45, UP, which is fresh off a double-digit win over its lone first-round tormentor NU, turned on the jets in the third period to surge ahead of Adamson, 69-57, before entering the final frame.
Tamayo powered the Fighting Maroons in their huge 19-12 third-quarter rally as he dropped 9 of his 18 points in that frame.
It was all UP from that point on as Lucero and Harold Alarcon combined for a 6-0 start in the first two minutes of the payoff period to push UP’s advantage to 18, 75-57, before Diouf eventually increased the Fighting Maroons’ lead to its largest at 22, 91-69, in the dying seconds of the ball game.
“We didn’t have the start that we wanted,” said second-year UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
“We need to improve on our defense, I think [Adamson] made 45 points in the first half. While the season is progressing, we have to work on that,” added Monteverde in a mix of English and Filipino.
Jerom Lastimosa paced Adamson anew with 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Cedrick Manzano chipped in 10 markers.
UP guns for its sixth straight win when it faces the UE Red Warriors, who are also coming off a dominant win, on Saturday, November 5 at 11 am.
Adamson, meanwhile, aims to bounce back when it goes up against the cellar-dwelling UST Growling Tigers on the same day at 1 pm.
The Scores
UP 91 – Diouf 20, Tamayo 18, Lucero 14, Fortea 12, Alarcon 9, Cagulangan 8, Galinato 8, Spencer 1, Calimag 1, Gonzales 0, Abadiano 0, Ramos 0.
Adamson 70 – Lastimosa 19, Manzano 10, Sabandal 9, Douanga 8, V. Magbuhos 8, Yerro 7, Hanapi 5, Colonia 3, Barcelona 1, Flowers 0, Jaymalin 0, Torres 0, Barasi 0, Fuentebella 0, W. Magbuhos 0.
Quarters: 28-25, 50-45, 69-57, 91-70.
– Rappler.com
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