UE routs UP; Maroons end Season 79 campaign

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of the East ended University of the Philippines’ campaign with an 80-67 rout in the UAAP Season 79 seniors’ basketball tournament Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The Fighting Maroons, who put up a fight for a Final Four spot late in the second round, fizzled out as they wrapped up their season with a 5-9 record while the Red Warriors improved to 3-10.

UE went berserk midway through the game with a 17-2 run throughout the second and third quarters as Alvin Pasaol capped it off with a fastbreak layup to put the boards at 48-28 at the 8:14 mark of the penultimate period.

Red Warriors head coach Derrick Pumaren said they wanted to end their Season 79 campaign in respectable fashion and he was satisfied with how his team played despite their poor record.

“We really played to our full potential today, and even though UP made a run late we kept our poise,” said Pumaren whose team has the chance to take the seventh spot if they win against Far Eastern University on Wednesday. “The energy was there, we know that we played to our potential.”

UE enjoyed a three-pronged offense courtesy of Philip Manalang, Renz Palma, and Bonbon Batiller who all had 14 points apiece.

Pasaol also produced double-digit points finishing with 11 for the Red Warriors.

Jett Manuel and Dave Moralde, who played their last game in a UP jersey, combined for 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Fighting Maroons.