Second-half adjustments proved crucial for the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in their double-header matchups against the University of the East (UE).
The women’s team rebuilt its advantage after a second-quarter scare, lifting its record to 3-2.
Meanwhile, the men’s squad mounted a comeback against the Red Warriors to finish the first round of eliminations with a 5-2 slate and secure the second seed in the standings.
Tightening the screws
Following its win against De La Salle University, the UP Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) restored its winning streak after a 57-43 win against the UE Lady Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
UP WBT wasted no time establishing its presence, as small forward Kennan Ka knocked down back-to-back triples to fuel an 11-3 opening run for the Fighting Maroons.
State U sustained its early momentum through the first quarter, with Marielle Vingno sinking consecutive one-handed jumpers to cap UP’s offensive surge and preserve a double-digit lead, 23-11.
The Recto-based squad found its footing early in the second frame with a 7-2 run behind Rachel Lacayanga’s reverse layup and triple as UP was limited to eight points against the Lady Warriors’ 15, cutting the deficit to five, 31-26, by halftime.
Looking to reclaim the wide gap after the break, State U found its spark in center Blessing Francis, who made her presence felt in the paint, scoring all nine of her points in the third canto as the Fighting Maroons rebuilt their double-digit cushion, 48-36, heading into the final frame.
State U went cold to open the payoff period, going scoreless as Lacayanga sliced through the Maroons’ defense for a fastbreak layup, before Shanina Tapawan ended the scoring drought with a putback to keep the Lady Warriors at bay, 50-39, with under six minutes remaining.
Forward-center Tiani Abrams found her comfort zone beyond the arc, drilling back-to-back triples for the crucial response late in the fourth quarter to restore the Maroons’ breathing room and help seal the win.
Although State U secured a comfortable 14-point win, head coach Eric Altamirano pointed to lapses in defensive intensity and ball movement as areas for improvement, emphasizing the need for consistency despite the team’s second-half adjustments.
“I just reminded them that we kind of lost our focus. [S]ometimes, they’re too eager to score, and we [forget] how to move that ball around. They were able to adjust [and] at least get that big lead back in the third quarter,” Altamirano said in the post-game press conference.
Leading the Fighting Maroons’ response on the court, Ka finished with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block, while Abrams anchored both ends of the floor with a near double-double performance of nine points and 12 rebounds.
From the Recto side, Lacayanga paced the Lady Warriors with an all-around performance of 17 points, seven rebounds, an assist, three steals and two blocks.
Good things take time
The UP Men’s Basketball Team (MBT) faced a tougher hill to climb against the UE Red Warriors, overcoming a first-half deficit to pull off another closing surge, 91-81, in a later game that day.
The Fighting Maroons struggled offensively midway through the opening quarter, allowing the Red Warriors to take the early advantage, 21-25.
Both teams went neck and neck in the second, with UP MBT relying on conversions near the rim from Gani Stevens, Elliot Dimaculangan and co-captain James Payosing.
Toper Lagat continued to fuel UE’s output from beyond the arc with a double trifecta.
Despite lapses from the offensive end, State U capitalized on the Red Warriors’ physical gameplay, scoring 10 points from the free-throw line to stay within striking distance by halftime, 45-48.
Coming off the bench, Chicco Briones Jr. provided the spark that the Diliman-based squad needed in the third canto, drilling three baskets from beyond the arc before Dimaculangan sank two shots from the charity stripe to give UP a 73-65 lead heading into the final frame.
Eager to seal the win, State U held off Lagat’s 11-point outburst in the closing minutes as Dikachi Ududo stretched the Fighting Maroons’ lead to 10 points, ultimately securing the victory for Diliman.
Briones expressed gratitude for the team’s trust, which allowed him to deliver when it mattered most.
“The opportunity I was given, I had to take advantage of it,” said Briones Jr. “Those baskets came because of my teammates. [K]udos to my teammates for trusting me with the ball.”
Despite coming away with the win, head coach Goldwin Monteverde remained critical of the team’s slow start, emphasizing the need for a more consistent approach moving forward.
“Ayaw na natin maging habit natin to start this way lagi,” the tactician said. “Sa ganitong klaseng season na dikit-dikit ‘yong standing, a win is still a win, ‘di ba? [W]e managed to finish [with a] 5-2 [record] sa first round despite knowing that we need to learn pa and grow a lot pa as a team.”
Beyond the team’s on-court adjustments, Monteverde also expressed hope for the return of point guard Arvie Poyos, who has been sidelined since the square-up against Adamson.
“The [physical therapist] and trainers are doing everything they [can] para maka-recover siya,” he said.
Briones finished the match with 13 points, nine of which came exclusively in the third quarter, second to Payosing, who paced the Fighting Maroons with a double-double performance of 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Lagat led the Red Warriors’ resistance with 26 points as the Recto-based squad hoped to snap its 26-game skid.
State U will look to carry its winning momentum as the WBT takes on the Lady Bulldogs at 12 p.m., while the men’s team will kick off the second round against the Growling Tigers at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
QUARTER SCORES
WBT: 23-11, 31-26, 48-36, 57-43
MBT: 21-25, 45-48, 73-65, 91-81
