University of the Philippines asserted its mastery over archrival Ateneo de Manila University with a 28-point beatdown, 75-47, to boost their hunt for a twice-to-beat incentive in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
With their third consecutive win, the Fighting Maroons solidified their hold of solo second place with a 9-1 card, gaining a three-game cushion over the 6-4 UE Red Warriors for the second seed.
The victory also allowed UP to flex its might over its Katipunan neighbors. Not only did the Fighting Maroons replicate their 77-61 first round win over the Blue Eagles last Sept. 7, but UP also extended their winning streak over Ateneo to four games dating back to the second round and semifinals of Season 86.
After absorbing their worst loss in the Tab Baldwin era, the Blue Eagles’ Final Four hopes further dimmed after dropping to solo seventh place with a 3-8 slate. The game also marked Ateneo’s worst defeat in nine years since a 64-88 decision to Far Eastern University in Season 78 last September 6, 2015.
“For me, I would really learn a lot [from Tab Baldwin]. We know the program Tab has for Ateneo. We cannot approach the game relaxed, we really need to prepare for it,” said head coach Goldwin Monteverde after UP completed a head-to-head elims sweep of Ateneo. “During the course of the game, it’s not like things would fall into place, you should be able to react against his tactics.”
UP bucked a slow first quarter start, turning a slim 17-15 advantage to a comfortable 37-21 cushion thanks to a dominant 20-6 second frame surge, capped by a layup from Jacob Bayla and a long two-pointer from Gerry Abadiano.
The Fighting Maroons opened the third quarter with another dominant run, scoring 15 straight points to take a commanding 26-point lead, 54-28, and further display its dominance over a struggling Blue Eagles side.
A late layup by Bayla in the payoff period further pushed UP’s advantage to a game-high 30-point margin, 75-45, to seal its ninth win in ten outings.
“We adapted to the changing defense of Ateneo. The team was able to adapt right away, we were able to move the ball, and at the same time, we were able to get the ball inside, which is one of our strengths also,” Monteverde added.
Francis Lopez enjoyed an efficient outing with 20 points on 7-of-9 from the field to go along with five rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Quentin Millora-Brown tallied 11 points, 10 rebounds, and a block.
Bayla contributed eight points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Reyland Torres posted an all-around statline with seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Gani Stevens continued his consistent play with seven points on 3-of-3 shooting and three rebounds.
Looking ahead, the Fighting Maroons look to further solidify its bid for a twice-to-beat advantage when they clash against the National University Bulldogs on Sunday, Nov. 3, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Koon paced Ateneo in the losing effort with nine points, one rebound, and one steal but committed five turnovers, while Shawn Tuano posted eight points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal.
The Blue Eagles’ highly-prized rookie duo struggled in their second ‘Battle of Katipunan’ outing as Jared Bahay was limited to six points on 2-of-12 shooting to go along with five assists, three rebounds, and one steal, while Kristian Porter chipped in four points but still contributed 10 rebounds and a steal.
Ateneo aims to reignite their slim Final Four hopes in an all-important match against the FEU Tamaraws on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores
UP (75) – Lopez 20, Millora-Brown 11, Bayla 7, Torres 7, Stevens 7, Abadiano 6, Belmonte 5, Fortea 5, Alarcon 4, Cagulangan 2, Felicilda 0, Ududo 0, Briones 0, Torculas 0, Alter 0, Walker 0.
Ateneo (47) – Koon 9, Tuano 8, Bongo 7, Bahay 6, Porter 4, Balogun 4, Espina 3, Espinosa 2, Lazaro 2, Dela Cruz 2, Asoro 0, Quitevis 0, Reyes 0, Gamber 0, Edu 0.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 39-28, 66-40, 75-47
