JORDAN Bartlett cut Kobe Paras down to size, raining down long balls to claim the men's title, 11-8, in the UAAP Season 81 Last 1 Standing 1-on-1 Hoop Challenge Friday at Mall of Asia Atrium.
The La Salle guard pumped a pair of two-pointers to grab an early 5-2 lead over the UP forward, outwitting his obviously exhausted foe before draining another pair to go on the hill, 10-7.
With Paras seemingly out of it, Bartlett went for the dagger with the game-clinching jumper with 1:38 still to spare.
His victory netted him the P20,000 cash prize for ruling the event.
Before their title clash, though, Bartlett and Paras had to go through the eye of the needle.
The Green Archer guard escaped Quinito Banzon of Ateneo, 5-4 in their semis battle, while the bluechip Fighting Maroon recruit had to fend off Robert Minerva, 11-9 in their ultra-physical duel.
Ivan Maata of Adamson, Jason Strait of UE, Cade Flores of FEU, and Brent Paraiso of UST also participated, but were all eliminated in the first round.
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