UNIVERSITY of the Philippines rolled to its fourth straight win yesterday despite a defense that leaves much to be desired, according to Fighting Maroons coach Goldwin Monteverde.
Proving steadier down the stretch, UP outlasted gritty Adamson University 73-71 for a share of second in the 84th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Zavier Lucero pumped in 20 points, to go with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals for the Maroons, while Malick Diouf wound up with 16 markers and 14 boards.
Ricci Rivero also had 11 points for UP, which improved to 4-1 in a tie with La Salle and handed the Soaring Falcons their third defeat in a row for a 1-4 slate.
In the other game, La Salle downed UST 75-66 to get back on track.
Center Justine Baltazar led the Green Archers with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block, while rookie Kurt Lojera added 15 markers.
Rookie Emman Galman also had 13 points as La Salle redeemed itself from a 57-74 loss to nemesis Ateneo last Saturday and improved to 4-1.
The defeat snapped the Growling Tigers’ two-game winning streak that dropped them to 2-3 for fifth, counting their 79-72 victory over the Falcons three days ago.
A Rivero three-pointer pushed UP’s lead to 73-66 late in the fourth quarter but Didat Hanapi and Joshua Yerro combined in a 5-0 run that pulled the Falcons to within 71-73, 31.4 ticks left.
Rivero missed on a triple try that left the door open for Adamson but Jerom Lastimosa’s straight-away trey from the top of the key went short.
“A win is a win, but you know we need to work on iyong sa defense namin,” Monteverde said.
“I think going over sa next game namin, we need to look on iyong part sa laro namin, iyong defense.”
Knotted at 39-all at the half, the two teams figured in a nip-and-tuck affair with the Maroons taking a 55-53 cushion heading into the payoff period.
Lastimosa paced the Falcons with 18 points, while Lenda Douanga had16 points and 14 rebounds.
