The University of the Philippines (UP) completed its sweep of the elimination round of the FilOil EcoOil 17th Preseason Cup on Sunday, June 2.
This, after the Fighting Maroons dominated Adamson University (AdU), 68-46, in San Juan City to improve to 7-0 on the UAAP side of the tilt.
Less than a day after they secured the top seed of their bracket, State U moved a step closer to defending their FilOil title, thanks to the efforts of Sean Alter (12 points, four rebounds), Francis Lopez (11 points, five rebounds), Mark Belmonte (10 points, eight rebounds), as well as their 17-7 opening quarter charge.
UP’s lead grew to as much as 26, while their defense also limited the Soaring Falcons to shooting only 27 percent from the field, 16-60.
No one scored in double digits for AdU, who fell to 2-4, while leading them was Eli Ramos who had seven points, seven rebounds and two assists.
In another lopsided affair, De La Salle University imposed its might over its lifelong rival, Ateneo de Manila University.
The defending UAAP men’s basketball champions, which were headed by Season 86 MVP Kevin Quiambao, who erupted for 31 points, seven rebounds and four assists, led by as many as 48 en route to them tallying their fourth dub in five games.
This resulted in the Blue Eagles — who were led by Josh Lazaro’s 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Jared Bahay’s 12-point, five-board game — remaining winless in six games.
Over to the NCAA side, Colegio de San Juan de Letran fended off a tough comeback from Clint Escamis and Mapua University.
The Season 99 ROTY-MVP almost powered the Cardinals to a 15-point comeback as he finished with 31 points, 12 of which came from three-pointers, but Nath Montecillo, Rafael Go, Charles Dimaano, James Jumao-as, and Titing Manalili’s collective efforts for the Knights proved to be too much for their Intramuros neighbors.
Montecillo finished with 15 markers, four assists and two rebounds; Dimaano scored the same points together with five boards; Go tallied a 14-point, four rebound game; Jumao-as tallied 13; while Manalili paced them to their six-straight win in eight games with 13 points, eight assists and three rebounds.
Escamis received help from John Jabonete, who had an impressive 23-point, eight-rebound outing together with four steals, but these went for naught as they fell to 4-4. (ABS-CBN News)