Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
University of the Philippines clamped down on winless College of St. Benilde for a 67-58 win in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup Saturday at San Juan Arena.
Defense was the name of the game for UP as the Fighting Maroons pestered the Blazers, applying pressure from the full length of the floor and forcing them to 28 turnovers.
Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol said the full-court pressure defense will now be a staple of the Fighting Maroons as their limited height won’t not allow them to plow other teams inside.
Lionel Tekaoudjou is already the tallest player in the UP roster standing at 6’5”.
“It has to be that’s our only way,” said Perasol on the potential use of the press in the UAAP. “We’re not going to be the biggest, we’re not going to be the most talented, if we can hold our ground and push a little bit our tempo we can have a fighting chance against anybody.”
The bigger Blazers had more rebounds, 48, than the Fighting Maroons, 41.
UP slowly built its lead in the second and third quarters as the Fighting Maroons outscored the Blazers, 36-20, in the two periods.
Dave Moralde led the Fighting Maroons (2-1) with 14 points while Diego Dario had 10.
Andrew Harris crashed the boards for UP grabbing 13 rebounds to go along his seven points.
Christian Fajarito had a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Blazers, losers of four straight.