University of the Philippines' Francis Nnoruka in action. UAAP Media
MANILA — University of the Philippines (UP) did the honors of blemishing Ateneo de Manila University's perfect record in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.
The Fighting Maroons rallied past the Blue Eagles, 83-69, on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, gaining a third straight victory after starting the tournament 0-2.
UP also collected its fifth consecutive victory over its Quezon City neighbor in head-to-head matches.
"Well, for me, 'yung preparation namin for this game, lagi naming pinaguusapan—it's just one part of it—but you know, transferring it to play the way 'yung players execute our offense, at the same time playing as a team defensively, I think 'yun 'yung malaking pagbabago namin. And sa akin siguro, we just have to keep it up lang," coach Goldwin Monteverde expressed after the game.
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Holding a slim 40-38 lead entering halftime, the Maroon side of Katipunan unleashed a 16-5 attack — led by Rey Remogat and Francis Nnoruka — that helped them build a 13-point lead in the third quarter, 56-43.
READ: UAAP: UP halts NU's dream run, tallies second straight win
That lead ballooned to 17, 63-46, the biggest cushion by that time at the 3:46 mark as Nnoruka continued his rampage.
When the dust settled, Nnoruka tallied 28 points — his highest output this season by far — on 9-of-13 shooting, to go with nine rebounds and four steals, as Remogat showcased his scoring and playmaking skills with 20 points on four makes from beyond the arc, and eight assists.
For his part, Harold Alarcon fueled UP's first-half cause, firing 13 of his 17 points in the second quarter to lead all scorers by then.
On the other hand, the Blue Eagles absorbed their first loss in five games. Shawn Tuano listed 17 points and three rebounds, while Kymani Ladi was also in double-digit scoring with 15 markers.
The defending champions seek to be unbeaten in four straight games against Far Eastern University on Sunday, while still league-leading Ateneo aims for redemption against University of Santo Tomas on Saturday.
The Scores:
UP (83) – Nnoruka 28, Remogat 20, Alarcon 17, Stevens 6, Yniguez 6, Abadiano 3, Torres 3, Bayla 0, Fortea 0, Palanca 0, Briones 0, Alter 0.
Ateneo (69) – Tuano 17, Ladi 15, Bahay 9, Adili 8, Espinosa 7, Ramos 6, Escobar 4, Lazo 3, Bongo 0, Espina 0, Fjellvang 0.
Quarterscores: 18-17, 40-38, 64-49, 83-69.