Big win caps Warriors’ sweep

As expected, University of the East drove past Adamson, 95-70, yesterday and completed a sweep of their first-round assignments in the 70th UAAP season.

Then coach Dindo Pumaren braced for the tougher days ahead.

“We’re very happy. But this is nothing. Nothing has been accomplished yet. Nothing has been proven,” said Pumaren inside the Araneta Coliseum pressroom.

“A lot of things can happen. The other teams are improving,” he added.

This is the  fourth straight game  the Warriors, hoping to end a 22-year title drought, won by more than 20 points.

After beating Ateneo by just three points last July 15, UE went on a killing spree, whipping La Salle by 20 points, then UP by 31, FEU by 29 and now Adamson by 25. 

In short, the Warriors have won their last four games by an average of 26.5 points. Still, Pumaren insisted that the second round could be an entirely different scenario.

“Things will be tougher there,” he said.

A team led by Jerry Codiñera gave UE a similar first-round sweep in 1986, but fell short in the end when the Warriors lost to the UP Maroons in the finals. UP then had Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc in its fold.

Adamson missed 15 free throws in the game (25-of-40) but even if they made them all still would have lost by 10 points. They fell to 1-6, their only victory coming at the expense of winless UP.

In the other game, Far Eastern U  flirted with disaster before coming through with an 87-82 win over UP.

Meanwhile, UAAP president Fr. Ermito de Sagon of Santo Tomas yesterday announced the sanctions to be imposed for future violations of the rule regarding the fielding of foreign players.

De Sagon said teams that will erroneously field their two foreign players at the same time will now pay the price: a technical foul on the coach and two free throws plus ball possession for the opposing team.

A second infraction in the same game would lead to the ejection of the coach, two free throws and ball possession. De Sagon said the implementing rule takes effect immediately.

“While it is true that a violation has been made (by Ateneo), the board has adopted and affirmed the findings and recommendation of commissioner Ed Cordero,” de Sagon said.

“And as such, the La Salle protest is denied,” said de Sagon after a special board meeting tackled the issue that stemmed from Ateneo’s fielding of its two foreign players at the same time against La Salle.