By NIKOLE JAVIER
University of the Philippines relied on its bench and blasted also-ran University of Santo Tomas, 86-61, in the second round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Chicco Briones came off the to score 14 points on an impressive 6-of-8 shooting from the field as the Maroons secured at least a playoff for the second twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four with an 11-2 record.
For them to claim the top seed, they have to beat National University in a battle of frontrunners on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Sporting a 10-2 record, the Bulldogs were playing against the Adamson Falcons at presstime.
Briones got ample support from Cyril Gonzales who tallied 10 points.
In a show of force, UP’s second stringers made their minutes count and had a field day, tallying 73 of the squad’s overall points.
UP jumped to a telling 69-47 lead heading into the fourth period and maintained a huge advantage the rest of the way.
As if the beating wasn’t enough, the Fighting Maroons stretched the match to their biggest lead in the closing period at 86-57 with a last-second Harold Alarcon long two from the right corner.
“Right now or after this game, we just focus on what to improve going towards our next game. Alam naming ‘yong importance of today’s game. But we just have to be consistent, patapos na [‘yong elimination round],” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
Meantime, defending champion Ateneo inched closer to earning the fourth and last semis berth with an 80-74 win over University of the East.
The win improved Ateneo’s record to 7-6 while eliminating the Warriors who absorbed their 9th defeat against four wins.
The scores:
First Game
ATENEO 80 – Brown 21, Ballungay 15, Obasa 13, Espinosa 5, Koon 5, Chiu 5, Amos 4, Nieto 3, Quitevis 3, Gamber 3, Credo 2, Celis 1, Lazaro 0, Bongo 0, Tuano 0.
UE 74 – Remogat 22, Lingolingo 14, Galang 12, Sawat 12, Alcantara 6, Maglupay 5, Langit 2, Tulabut 1, Cruz-Dumont 0, Spandonis 0, Cabero 0, Gilbuena 0, Manalang 0.
Quarters: 18-21, 42-34, 62-48, 80-74.
Second Game
UP 86 – Briones 14, Gonzales 10, Cansino 9, Belmonte 9, Lopez 8, Alter 7, Diouf 6, Felicilda 6, Fortea 6, Alarcon 4, Torres 4, Abadiano 2, Torculas 1, Cagulangan 0, Pablo 0.
UST 61 – Cabañero 14, Manaytay 14, Pangilinan 13, Duremdes 5, Laure 5, Calum 4, Llemit 3, Manalang 2, Moore 1, Crisostomo 0, Lazarte 0, Magdangal 0, Esmena 0.
Quarters: 24-18, 44-32, 69-47, 86-61
