Red-hot Maroons skin Falcons for sixth straight win

MANILA, Philippines -- University of the Philippines tightened its grip on the top spot of the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament after grounding the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 82-70, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The Fighting Maroons thus tallied their sixth straight win in the tournament, while handing the Falcons their third straight defeat. 

A 26-14 second quarter broke the game open for UP, which turned a slim 19-17 lead at the end of the first frame into a 45-31 advantage at the half. 

From that point, Adamson tried to claw back into the ballgame, but the Maroons simply had answer after answer. 

The Falcons looked for a momentum-shifting play in the third, cutting the deficit to seven, 58-65, late in the frame, but Jacob Bayla’s late burst pushed UP ahead, 68-58, going into the payoff period. 

A triple by Earl Medina sliced the deficit anew to eight, 67-75, with 5:25 to go, but it was the nearest Adamson got to as finishing touches by Rey Remogat iced the game. 

James Payosing powered UP with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals in the win, while Remogat and Dikachi Ududo had 12 markers apiece. Elliott Dimaculangan chipped in 11 points in a starting role. 

Matty Erolon carried the offense for Adamson with 20 points, two rebounds and two steals off the bench. Monty Montebon added 13 points, while Ray Allen Torres and Mat Edding had 10 each. 

UP rose to a solo first with an 8-2 record, while the Falcons dropped to 4-6, tied with University of Santo Tomas, at the bottom half of the standings.