Diouf dominates anew as UP extends win streak to 6 with UE demolition

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons continued their dominant run in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament as they cruised past the UE Red Warriors, 83-69, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, November 5., 

Just three days after scoring a career-high 20 points in their 91-70 win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons, Malick Diouf eclipsed his previous mark and erupted for 23 points this time on an efficient 10-of-13 shooting, to go with 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

Zav Lucero backstopped Diouf with 17 points, while guards Terrence Fortea and Harold Alarcon had 10 markers apiece.

With the win, UP secured at least a playoff game for a Final Four spot and improved to 9-1 in the standings, while UE fell to 4-6.

Looking to capture their sixth straight win, the Fighting Maroons quickly went to work and opened the game on a fiery 12-0 blast. UP, which connected on 6 of its 8 three-point attempts in the first frame, even increased its lead to its largest at 18 points, 32-14, off a Cyriil Gonzales triple with under two minutes left to play in the period.

In the second canto, UE managed to get as close as 7 points, 30-37, before UP once again stepped on the gas and pushed its advantage back to double figures at halftime, 49-33, thanks to the efforts of Diouf, who unloaded 16 of his 23 points in the first half on a perfect 7-of-7 clip from the field.

With UE still knocking on UP’s door late in the final quarter, 64-71, the defending champion Fighting Maroons proved why they are the No. 1 team in the league as they quickly shrugged off any hopes of a Red Warriors comeback with a blazing 10-0 run to bring their lead up to 17, 81-64, and ice the game with just a minute remaining.

Rookie big man Gani Stevens led UE in the loss with a career-game 23 points and 6 assists, while brothers Kyle and Nikko Paranada added 15 and 13 points, respectively.

UP aims to extend further its winning streak to seven games when it takes on the FEU Tamaraws after the league’s two-week FIBA break on Thursday, November 17 at 3 pm, while UE shoots for a quick return to the win column when it faces the NU Bulldogs that same day at 1 pm.

The Scores

UP 83 – Diouf 23, Lucero 17, Fortea 10, Alarcon 10, Galinato 9, Gonzales 7, Spencer 4, Abadiano 2, Cagulangan 1, Tamayo 0, Lina 0, Torculas 0, Calimag 0, Ramos 0.

UE 69 – Stevens 23, K. Paranada 13, N. Paranada 13, Villegas 10, Payawal 4, Sawat 2, Abatayo 2, Pagsanjan 0, Remogat 0, Antiporda 0, Beltran 0, Tulabut 0.

Quarters: 35-18, 49-33, 63-55, 83-69.

– Rappler.com