UAAP: UP back on track after fending off La Salle

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UP's Carl Tamayo and Maodo Diouf celebrate. UAAP PHOTO

UP’s Carl Tamayo and Maodo Diouf celebrate a basket. UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–University of the Philippines nipped a late-game uprising by La Salle to prevail, 72-69, and return to the winning track Saturday in the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Maroons survived a 10-0 blast by the Archers who breathed to their necks, 71-69, in the final 10 seconds following a scoring binge by Deschon Winston. But after a Ricci Rivero free throw split for UP, La Salle’s Mark Nonoy bungled a three-pointer as time expired.

That ensured UP’s 9th win in 11 matches entrenching itself in the top two of the standings and bouncing from a stinging defeat to Adamson (66-58) last time around.

“Compare to our last game, [today is] very different. Our ball movement [is good] from the start. We were sharing the ball, hitting the open man. Those things that we’ve been really working on, we saw it earlier,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.

The Archers saw their two-game winning spell snapped for a 7-4 record.

Carl Tamayo topscored with 23 points for the Maroons, while Rivero added 11 including fast break slam that helped UP post a 48-34 lead early in the third quarter.