UP Fighting Maroons’ Terrence Fortea vs UST defenders. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO CITY—University of the Philippines took the fight out of the University of Santo Tomas early and simply ran through the motions of picking up a comfortable 76-51 win on Saturday at the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.
Showing they are the apex predator in town, the Fighting Maroons charged out of the gates and fended off a late rally by the Growling Tigers anchored on Nic Cabanero as the defending champions marched to their sixth victory in wrapping up the seven-game, first-round elimination round.
Terrence Fortea swished three three-pointers in the third quarter with 14 points, his three three-pointers in the third quarter helping the Maroons bumped up the lead to 21 entering the final period.
“We definitely improved a lot on how we start a game. I think we just have to work more on our consistency and be more organized as a team,’’ said UP coach Goldwyn Monteverde.
Nic Cabanero gave the Tigers a semblance of a fight by scoring 10 straight points capped by a booming three for them to pull within 11, but the Maroons stopped the assault with a strong finishing kick.
After Cabanero’s triple, the Maroons tightened the noose and put the pressure on the defensive end, allowing them to score 13 points in less than three minutes through the efforts of Carl Tamayo and Zavier Lucier and finishing the Tigers for good.
With multiple defenders stalking him, Cabanero shot six of 17 from the field and finished with 14 points for UST while Faye Adama, who returned from a one-game suspension, had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The Growling Tigers spiraled to the bottom of the pit with a 1-6 record.
The Scores
UP 76 — Fortea 14, Lucero 12, Abadiano 9, Tamayo 9, Andrews 7, Alarcon 5, Diouf 4, Spencer 3, Ramos 3, Eusebio 3, Lina 2, Calimag 2, Galinato 2, Gonzales 1, Torculas 0
UST 51 — Faye 15, Cabanero 14, Lazarte 5, Calimag 5, Duremdes 3, Mantua 3, Manalang 2, Magdangal 2, Escobido 2, Pangilinan 0, Manaytay 0, Garing 0, Herrera 0, Gesalem 0.
Quarters: 19-8, 38-24, 58-37, 76-51.