Red Warriors rip Maroons in UAAP Season 77 opener

Gino Jumao-as of UE drives to the basket off Joseph Gallanza and Miguel Reyes of UP at the Smart Araneta in the first game of a double-header at the opening of UAAP Season 77, Saturday, July 12, 2014. The Red Warriors won 87-59, against the Maroons. AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—Dan Alberto banked in a buzzer-beating basket from near halfcourt that broke an early deadlock and University of the East never trailed since.

It was that kind of game for Alberto, whose hot shooting, sparked a Red Warriors’ telling run in the second quarter en route to a 87-59 drubbing of University of the Philippines in the opener of the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We really came out strong tonight. We really wanted to win this game. We want to use this as a springboard,” said UE head coach Derrick Pumaren.

“I think he built his confidence when he made that 3-point shot,” Pumaren said of Alberto’s performance, referring to the one he made from way out.

Host UE’s second unit led by the third year guard Alberto and Charles Mammie took their team to another level as UP just couldn’t keep up.

“The second unit came in and they gave us a big lift,” Pumaren said, whose team drew 48 points from its bench.

Alberto hit three more 3-pointers in the second period alone after his halfcourt heave that gave the Red Warriors a 43-23 lead. He finished with a career-high 15 points built on five-of-six from downtown.

Mammie gave the erratic Fighting Maroons, who lost for the 22nd straight time dating back to two seasons ago, fits inside and his presence opened up scoring opportunities.

The game was tied at 16 before UE ran away and led by as much as 34 in the fourth quarter with star guard Roi Sumang leading the way.

Sumang had eight points and dished out six assists, including an alleyoop with Moustapha Arafat, who finished with a two-handed dunk that pushed UE’s lead to 31, 64-33, late in the third quarter.

“We want to keep the intensity going. We can’t just relax and let UP comeback.”

UP, fresh off a preseason stint in Taiwan, kept it close early behind Kyles Lao, who scored six of his 18 points in the first period.

But it was an entirely different story in the next three quarters.

While UE had quite a shooting day by hitting 50% of its shots, UP couldn’t even get the ball inbound and shot itself on the foot with 17 turnovers, mostly off unforced errors.