By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons proved it can win even without a scoring burst from its top gun.
Despite Negrense Harold Alarcon being limited to just four points, UP leaned on their towering frontline to overpower the University of the East (UE), 70-61, and keep a firm grip on solo second place in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, November 8.
With Sean Alter and Francis Nnoruka dominating the paint, UP seized control early and never looked back to claim its fourth straight victory and move closer to an eighth straight Final 4 berth.
The win improved the defending champions’ record to 8-3, keeping them ahead of De La Salle University (6-4) and the chasing pack of UST and Ateneo de Manila University (all 5-5).
“I guess ‘yun ‘yung naging effect of it kasi our team is heavy on guards, so sometimes, I guess, as the saying goes, we pick our poison. Just like Sean and Francis, they just seized ‘yung opportunities nila to play,” assistant coach Christian Luanzon said.
“At the same time, tulad nung sabi ni Sean, ‘yung tiwala rin sa kanila ng mga guards of giving up basketball and ball screens or a blitz and a hard show. What’s important is that they are ready for it, and they were,” he added.
Alter anchored UP’s 19-5 run in the opening quarter, scoring eight points and pulling down six rebounds as the Maroons built a 19-8 lead. By halftime, they were comfortably ahead, 44-25.
UP extended the margin to as much as 26 points, 59-33, behind back-to-back baskets from Terrence Fortea and an on-and-one layup by Gani Stevens late in the third period.
UE rookie Toper Lagat tried to spark a comeback with six straight points early in the fourth, trimming the deficit to 60-46, but Nnoruka answered with eight points of his own to restore order and seal the outcome.
Nnoruka finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and one steal while posting a game-high plus-35 rating. Alter backed him up with 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting, six boards and two blocks.
Even as Alarcon struggled offensively, team captain Gerry Abadiano stepped up with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Fortea chipped in six points.
Lagat led the Red Warriors with 21 points, while Wello Lingolingo added 11. Precious Momowei, the team’s top scorer entering the game, was held to just four points but hauled down 12 rebounds. They slipped to 0-11.
Meanwhile, Mark Parks scored on a go-ahead three-point play as the National University Bulldogs edged the Adamson University Falcons, 66-65. He ended the match with 10 markers./ASC, WDJ