By June Ray Navares
University of the Philippines utilized a third-quarter surge to taint the previously unbeaten slate of Ateneo de Manila University, 83-69, in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, Wednesday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The third straight victory of UP, not only spoiled Ateneo’s perfect 4-0 start but also announced that the Fighting Maroons have regained their championship-caliber form after a shaky 0-2 season opening.
“Well, for me, iyong preparation namin for this game lagi naming pinag-uusapan 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 play as a team with defensively. I think ‘yun ‘yung malaking pagbabago namin and sa akin siguro, we just have to keep it up lang,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
The first 20 minutes was a seesaw battle, with UP holding a slim 40-38 lead heading into the dugout.
However, the Fighting Maroons were never the same after the break, launching a devastating 24-11 run in the third quarter that flipped the momentum completely.
Francis Nnoruka fueled the rebellion in the Battle of Katipunan, by dropping 15 of his season-high 28 points in the third frame, alongside nine rebounds and four steals for a complete night. He alone outscored the whole Ateneo in that quarter.
Led by Noy Remogat who chipped in seven baskets, UP built a commanding 64-49 lead going into the final period.
“For me siguro, blessed lang din talaga ako kasi ayun nga hindi naman biro ‘yung mga pinagdaanan namin as a team noong first two games,” said Remogat, who finished with 20 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals.
Despite his excellent performance, Remogat was ejected late in the game after accumulating two unsportsmanlike fouls — the final one occurring with 7.9 seconds remaining on a fastbreak attempt by Ian Espinosa.
Harold Alarcon delivered 17 points and five assists, with 13 of his markers coming in the second quarter to keep UP afloat.
For the Blue Eagles, Shawn Tuano paced the offense with 17 points and three rebounds, while big man Kymani Ladi added 15 points as Ateneo absorbed their first loss in five outings.
The victory improved UP’s record to 3-2, vaulting them to solo fourth place, while Ateneo dropped to a 4-1 slate, tying them with the National University at the top of the standings.
UP will look to extend their winning streak when they face FEU on Saturday, while Ateneo will immediately try to bounce back as they take on UST at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Featured image courtesy of UAAP Media Bureau
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