AT least for the ongoing UAAP Season 88, the Battle of Katipunan still has the University of the Philippines coming out in top.
The Fighting Maroons sent erstwhile unbeaten Ateneo crashing back to earth, courtesy of a 83-69 mugging on Wednesday at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Francis Nnoruka stood the tallest for State U, feasting down low with his career-high 28 points, nine rebounds, four steals, and one block to inflict the Blue Eagles' first loss of the tourney.
But he wasn't alone, with Rey Remogat and Harold Alarcon also doing damage in UP's 24-point third quarter pullaway where the Iskos held a 17-point lead, 63-46.
Remogat shot the lights out with his three triples for his 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Alarcon came off the bench for 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists, as the defending champions have now rang off three straight wins to go up to 3-2.
University of the Prepared
"For me, yung preparation namin for this game and transferring it to play, the players executing our offense, yun ang malaking pagbabago namin," said coach Goldwin Monteverde after the Fighting Maroons' fifth consecutive victory against their Katipunan rivals.
Premium was put into execution after the halftime break, with UP going 16-of-29 from the field, a sky-high 55-percent clip, as the defending champions cleaned up their act in the second half.
"We started well naman. Siguro yung mga galing sa bench lang just wanted to sustain how we started and we focused on lapses that we needed to address, especially composure-wise. Kumbaga, mas na-handle namin yun nang mas mabuti nung third [quarter]."
Shawn Tuano paced Ateneo with 17 points and three rebounds, while Kymani Ladi got 15 points, seven boards, and three assists in their first taste of defeat in five games.
The Scores:
UP 83 - Nnoruka 28, Remogat 20, Alarcon 17, Yniguez 6, Stevens 6, Abadiano 3, Torres 3, Bayla 0, Fortea 0, Palanca 0, Briones 0, Alter 0.
ATENEO 69 - Tuano 17, Ladi 15, Bahay 9, Adili 8, Espinosa 7, Lazaro 6, Escobar 4, Lazo 3, Espina 0, Bongo 0, Fjellvang 0.
Quarters: 18-17, 40-38, 64-49, 83-69.
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