Two teams, two contrasting campaigns.
Coming off a week-long break, the University of the Philippines (UP) Basketball Teams returned to the hardcourt with split results in their second-round duel against Adamson University on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
While the men’s team remained perched atop the summit with its sixth consecutive win, its female counterpart continued to struggle to get off the ground, suffering its third straight loss.
Steady at the helm
With a six-game winning streak under its belt, the UP Men’s Basketball Team (MBT) showed no signs of slowing down, continuing to assert its dominance as the season enters its crucial stretch.
The week-long break did little to disrupt the MBT’s winning rhythm, as it resumed its campaign with an 82-70 victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons.
Establishing control from the outset, the Fighting Maroons opened with a 10-1 run, capped by guard James Payosing’s back-to-back baskets in the paint to give UP an early foothold.
Adamson attempted to claw its way back through a perimeter surge, with Kenji Cañete knocking down a triple to trim the maroon shirts’ lead to two, 16-14, but 6-foot-9 center Dikachi Ududo responded with a layup off the glass to keep UP ahead.
The Soaring Falcons briefly threatened the Maroons’ early advantage in the second frame, pouring in nine points from beyond the arc to cut the lead once again to just two, before Sean Alter restored breathing room for State U with a pair of finishes at the rim, 30-26.
Dominating on both ends of the floor, the Diliman-based squad turned the AdU’s miscues into opportunities, with Miguel Yniguez extending the maroon shirts’ advantage to double digits with a triple, 41-29.
UP then took care of its lead for the remainder of the quarter, outscoring Adamson, 26-14, to head into the break with a comfortable 14-point cushion, 45-31.
Come the third quarter, Matt Erolon led the San Marcelino-based squad’s efforts to close the gap, 61-50, racking up 11 points from the perimeter.
However, the Maroons consistently had an answer to keep the Soaring Falcons at bay, with Jacob Bayla capping the period with a buzzer-beating triple to put State U up by 10 points, 68-58, heading into the payoff period.
Carrying its third-quarter cushion, the Diliman-based squad never looked back and continued to dominate the match, with Rey Remogat delivering the finishing touches through a triple and a layup to extend UP’s win streak.
With an 8-2 record keeping them atop the standings, the Maroons are aware that their position remains theirs to protect, as assistant coach Christian Luanzon emphasized the importance of taking control of their own campaign in this crucial stretch of the season.
“Laging nire-remind ni Coach Gold sa kanila na ‘yong sitwasyon ng team namin ngayon, kami ang may hawak, kami ang nagko-kontrol. [I]t’s either we’re the ones in control ng prosesong ito [o]r other teams will control us, ” Luanzon said in the post-game press conference.
Payosing finished at the forefront with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals to keep UP on top, while Ududo and Remogat chipped in 12 markers apiece.
For Adamson, Erolon and Monty Montebon paced the Soaring Falcons’ scoring efforts with a combined 33 points in the loss.
Third time’s not the charm
It was a different story for the UP Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) as it was once again grounded by the Lady Falcons, 59-66, in their second meeting this season.
The Fighting Maroons found themselves on the back foot in the opening frame as they struggled to convert, allowing Adamson to catch fire from beyond the arc and drain five triples to hand the Diliman-based squad an early 10-24 deficit.
Determined to make up for its sluggish start, the Diliman-based squad unleashed an 11-0 run, highlighted by captain Shanina Tapawan’s layup and triple before Ashley Loon capped the surge with a layup off an assist from Kennan Ka, 21-27.
State U continued to chip away at Adamson’s lead, outscoring the San Marcelino-based squad, 23-14, in the second period alone to trim the early 14-point deficit to just five, 33-38, by halftime.
Despite the Lady Falcons’ dominance in the offensive glass in the third, State U continued to outscore Adamson, 15-9, with Shane Cunanan converting two shots from the charity stripe to put UP ahead by a point, 48-47, going into the final frame.
Looking to complete the reversal, Tiani Abrams sank a triple and a jump shot two minutes into the fourth but Cheska Apag quickly answered with a triple of her own to put the match at a 53-all deadlock.
Both teams went neck and neck but the Fighting Maroons eventually lost their shooting touch, failing to convert from their possessions during a crucial stretch of the match and allowing Adamson to reclaim the lead and extend UP’s losing skid to three.
In the loss, Tapawan topscored the Diliman-based squad with 11 points and a rebound while Louna Ozar chipped in 10 markers and three assists.
From the San Marcelino side, Elaine Etang led the Lady Falcons’ scoring effort with 18 points alongside Angeline Alaba, who scored her season-high 14 markers.
The Fighting Maroons now sit at the fifth spot in the standings with a 4-5 slate.
Both squads will aim to replicate their first-round outing against the Ateneo Blue Eagles in another Battle of Katipunan on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the same venue, with the women’s team looking to snap its losing skid at 12 p.m., while the men’s squad seeks to defend its place atop the standings at 6 p.m.
