UP survives DLSU nail-biter to kick off men's basketball title defense

c/o UAAP

The title defense of the University of the Philippines is off to a positive start with a 72-69 victory over De La Salle University on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Carl Tamayo and James Spencer stepped up late to ensure the win for the Fighting Maroons, successfully fending off the Green Archers as they whittled the deficit down to 64-66 with 96 seconds left off a Kevin Quiambao triple.

Tamayo's bucket with eighty seconds left re-established a two-possession lead, followed by Spencer's conversion with seventeen seconds left.

A Mike Phillips putback reduces the deficit to 70-66 for DLSU, followed by a forced turnover to yielded an Evan Nelle triple with 6.6 seconds left on the clock and a one-point game.

The next play sees Tamayo fouled with four seconds left, with the Gilas standout draining both free throws to make it 72-69. He would finish with eighteen points and nineteen rebounds.

Nelle would have a chance to force an extension, but he coughed up the ball in the process.

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde shared post-match, "Actually I just felt 'yung defense namin mag pick-up especially noong third quarter. Malaking bagay 'yung depensa talaga."

Malick Diouf also contributed a near double-double with nine points and thirteen rebounds, while Terrence Fortea added fifteen points, five rebounds, and nine assists as he stepped up in JD Cagulangan's absence.

Cagulangan sat out the game due to a hamstring injury.

Schonny Winston led all scorers with 27 points, although he was limited to just a couple of points in the final period. Phillips stuffed the stat sheet with eight markers, twenty rebounds, three steals, and four rejections.

UP seeks to make it back-to-back victories against Adamson at 1pm on Wednesday, while DLSU goes up against UST at 430pm that day.

The Scores:

UP 72 -- Tamayo 18, Fortea 15, Diouf 9, Spencer 8, Lucero 7, Gonzales 7, Alarcon 5, Ramos 3, Abadiano 0, Galinato 0, Torculas 0, Eusebio 0, Lina 0, Calimag 0.

LA SALLE 69 -- Winston 27, Nelle 9, M. Phillips 8, Nonoy 8, Quiambao 5, Austria 4, Manuel 4, Nwankwo 2, Macalalag 2, B. Phillips 0.

Quarters: 16-17, 34-42, 50-54, 72-69.