UAAP: UP pulls away to beat UE, shares lead in men’s basketball

UP Fighting Maroons’ Mark Belmonte during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UE. –UAAP PHOTO

University of the Philippines got a share of the lead in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament after cruising past University of the East, 81-71, on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Maroons joined La Salle and University of Santo Tomas, who all have 2-0 records, at the top of the standings behind JD Cagulangan’s 21 points highlighted by seven rebounds and four assists.

Mark Belmonte and Harold Alarcon finished with nine points apiece while Jacob Bayla, Francis Lopez and Dikachi Ududo added seven points each.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

“Every game is a teaching moment for us. We played well for the first two and a half quarters. In the first half, our offense was flowing nicely, and we were shooting well. Our defense was also strong, allowing only 29 points, but we gave up 42 points in the second half,” UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said.

The Fighting Maroons got the better of the Red Warriors in virtually every aspect as UP wasted no time taking control of the game. Cagulangan and UE’s Rainier Maga traded threes late in the third quarter before Lopez hammered a runaway slam to give UP its biggest lead, 69-42, with 1:50 left.

“We scored 21 points in the third quarter but gave up 20, which isn’t up to our defensive standards. However, as Coach Gold [Monteverde] always says, we need to improve with every game throughout the season. This game will definitely help us as we work on getting better.”

READ: UAAP: UP dominates Ateneo in Season 87 opener

Alarcon was called for an unsportsmanlike foul on the shooting Nico Mulingtapang, who cleared all his four free throws before Maga sank a jumper to cap a 7-0 run by UE to end the third frame.

The Red Warriors refused to give up and brought the heat in the final frame in an attempt to steal the game with Precious Momowei’s putback narrowing the deficit to 76-65 after an 8-0 run.

Momowei made two free throws for UE with 2:14 left, Quentin Millora-Brown scored two of his own before the Warrior big man was fouled while doing a layup but missed the freebie.

Momowei paced UE with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds while Wello Lingolingo added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Mulingtapang and Maga finished with nine points apiece as the Warriors dropped its second game in as many games.

UP faces National University next on Wednesday in the same Quezon City venue.