Filoil Preseason Cup: UE rides momentum to outlast Perpetual Help

UE Red Warriors’ Kyle Paranada. –FILOIL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A rejuvenated University of the East relied on its bench to notch a fourth win in Group A of the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup against Perpetual Help, 79-74 on Thursday.

The Red Warriors used their jolt of adrenaline from winning four out of their last five games to keep the pesky Altas at bay.

“We really feel that there’s a change [in the locker room], I said earlier that all it takes is one win and with these wins we always look forward for the games to come,” Jojo Antiporda of the Red Warriors said on Thursday.

UE’s bench contributed 42 points, including the game-deciding triple came, to fend off the Perpetual Help.

The Altas trailed the Red Warriors by just one, 75-74, with 1:18 remaining, when role player Luis Salgado converted from beyond the arc to cushion UE’s lead to four, 78-74. 

John Egan had a chance to bring Perpetual closer after being fouled with less than a minute remaining but sank nothing in his trip to the charity stripe. He tallied a team-high 14 points in a losing effort.

The Red Warriors took the lead for good, 73-70, with 3:40 to play on Kyle Paranada and CJ Payawal’s five point swing to overhaul a 68-70 deficit. Paranada and Payawal scored 23 and 10, respectively.

The Red Warriors’ “A”-zone defense was absent as the Altas scored a higher percentage in field goals with 43.3% compared to UE’s 40.8%. Coach Jamike Jarin called the shots for the absent Jack Santiago.

UE moved up in the standings with a 4-4 slate while the Altas fell to 2-4.