UP holds off Adamson in testy UAAP match, ends 5-game skid

Henry Asilum lifts UP to third win. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of the Philippines ended its five-game dry spell with an 89-84 squeaker over Adamson University to start the second round of the UAAP Season 78 Men’s Basketball Tournament Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

With the win, the Fighting Maroons improved to 3-5 while they avenged their loss against the Soaring Falcons, who dropped to 1-7, last week.

UP held a 15-point, 76-61, early in the fourth but the Falcons went on a 13-2 glide cappe off by a JD Tungcab long jumper from the wing to get as near as 78-74.

A 7-2 Maroons spurt would give UP a manageable 84-76 buffer with Jett Manuel hitting a fade-away jumper from the baseline with 1:30 remaining in the game.

Maroons head coach Rensy Bajar said they were more focused on defense downplaying the 37 fouls they committed.

“We were too eager on the defensive end it’s maybe because we wanted to get the ball back immediately,” Bajar said. “I can’t blame the referees maybe the players took part of the blame.”

Personal fouls weren’t the only problem in the game. Harold Ng was caught pinching the backside of Manuel which warranted the Falcon guard an unsportsmanlike foul.

Even UP head coach Bajar wasn’t safe when he and Falcon wingman Jerome Garcia got into a heated discussion when the latter almost fell over the Maroon mentor.

UP turned to its defense to disrupt the Falcons, forcing 33 turnovers and holding Adamson to only 20 made field goals out of 62 attempts.

Henry Asilum led UP with 19 points while Manuel added 16 points and eight boards.

Diego Dario worked the point for Maroons as he finished with 14 points and five assists while Agustini Amar finished with 13 points.

Papi Sarr led the Falcons with 18 points and 17 rebounds but turned the ball over eight times including a crucial one with 13.9 seconds remaining as they trailed UP 87-83.