Bulldogs turn back Warriors; Falcons trip Maroons

RAY Parks of NU tries to free himself from the double team of Roi Sumang (left) and Gene Belleza of UE during yesterday’s match. RODEL ROTONI

MANILA, Philippines—Avoiding a repeat of its recent meltdown, National University quelled a late University of the East rally for an 83-74 victory in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament yesterday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Ray Parks fired 21 points, including eight in the final quarter that helped the Bulldogs stay afloat after the Warriors had trimmed their 15-point lead, 67-52, to just three, 70-67.

“We didn’t play well today. We struggled and the game came down to the last minutes,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano after the Bulldogs rebounded from a heartbreaking overtime loss to UST, 58-57, where they blew a 17-point advantage.

The fifth-running Bulldogs improved to 6-4 despite the absence of Cameroonian center Emmanuel Mbe, who sat out the game due to a hip injury.

In the second game, Adamson snapped a six-game losing streak with a 75-70 triumph over the University of the Philippines.

The trio of Eric Camson (19 points and 14 rebounds), Jericho Cruz (17 points) and Rodney Brondial (15 points and 17 rebounds) delivered for the also-ran Falcons, who won for only the second time in 10 games.

Meanwhile, the league slapped a one-game ban on Far Eastern University bruiser Arvie Bringas and Ateneo center JP Erram for separate unsportsmanlike acts during Wednesday’s game won by the Blue Eagles, 77-64.

Bringas was ejected midway in the fourth quarter for spitting at Ateneo’s Justin Chua, while Erram was caught kicking FEU’s Carl Cruz after a game review.

UAAP commissioner Ato Badolato said yesterday that warnings had also been issued to Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter and Ryan Buenafe and FEU’s Mark Belo, Carl Cruz and Roger Pogoy for various infractions in the game.

“Prior to the spitting incident, [Slaughter] elbowed Bringas. I saw it in action,” said Badolato. “After we reviewed the tape, we also saw Pogoy giving an elbow when (Ateneo’s Juami) Tiongson fell in front of the FEU bench.”