By Maxine Louise Lagman
MANILA, Philippines – Adamson University hopped on the winning column, and University of the Philippines is still undefeated after overpowering both their opponents in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday, October 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Soaring Falcons took a 74-61 victory against University of the East. Both teams are now tied at sixth place in the team standing with a 1-2 win-loss record.
“Feels good to win. That’s something that all teams look for at the start of each tournament. Hopefully, we follow it up,” said Adamson head coach Nash Racela.
Banking on a four-point lead in the third quarter, the Falcons went on a 16-5 run off back-to-back baskets from Lenda Douanga for a 65-51 advantage, 4:32 left in the game.
Joem Sabandal led the Soaring Falcons with 16 points, while Jerom Lastimosa had 11 markers and seven assists. Douanga and Vince Magbuhos added nine points each in the win. On the other hand, Luis Villegas’ 15-point, nine-rebound outing was put to waste as Warriors failed to secure a consecutive win.
In the second game of the day, UP once again weathered a bad start to win against the Far Eastern University (FEU), 73-67, to clinch its third consecutive win and remain atop the league standings.
The Tamaraws had a 13-point advantage in the first quarter, 23-10, and kept their lead up to the third before UP fought back down the stretch.
Carl Tamayo led the Fighting Maroons, extending their slim one-point lead to a 70-65 advantage, 2:05 left. Tamayo unloaded eight of his 16 points in the final frame, outscoring the FEU squad’s seven points.
Terrence Fortea, who put the finishing touches after back-to-back buckets from Tamayo in the payoff period, finished with 17 points on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from downtown, on top of his four rebounds and two steals.
FEU’s Ximone Sandagon finished with 20 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the field, and seven rebounds and a block as the Tamaraws remain winless in three outings.
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