STUNG the last time out, defending champion University of the Philippines redeemed itself in a big way against hapless University of Santo Tomas and boosted its bid for a coveted goal yesterday.
Leaning on a telling second half breakaway, the Fighting Maroons shackled the Growling Tigers 78-60 and assured themselves of at least a playoff for a win-once incentive in the Final Four of the 85th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Carl Tamayo wound up with a game-high 19 points, to go with nine rebounds for UP, while Cyril Gonzales had 14 markers.
Six-foot-11 Senegalese import Malick Diouf also added 10 points, 14 boards, and six assists, who made up for a numbing 80-82 defeat to La Salle four days ago and rose to 11-2.
UST, coming off a 57-67 setback to National University last Saturday, absorbed its 11th loss in a row for a 1-11 slate.
In the second game, La Salle hacked out a 63-58 decision over NU for its third straight win.
Penny Estacio led the Green Archers with 13 points and two caroms, while Evan Nelle had 10 markers, a rebound, and three dimes.
Michael Phillips barely missed a double-double of nine points and 11 boards as La Salle improved to 6-6 for solo fourth.
The Bulldogs saw their four-game winning run come to a screeching halt and slipped to 9-4.
“Si coach Gold (Monteverde) rarely talks sa pre-game iyong mga standings really because our season has been built on growth ng team, just building every game,” UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said.
“But at the same time realizing iyong importance ng larong ito na twice-to-beat obviously malaking advantage iyon,” he added.
The Maroons also whipped the Tigers 76-61 in their first-round duel last Oct. 22.
UP took a 37-34 cushion at the half that it padded to 59-49 heading into the payoff period.
A Gonzales triple capped the Maroons’ 11-0 blitz that pegged a 70-49 count at the 7:33 mark of the final stanza that took the fight out of UST.
Nic Cabañero paced the Tigers with 14 and seven, while Adama Faye contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“It was a pretty hard-earned victory for us,” Archers tactician Derrick Pumaren said. “We know NU’s the No. 2 team so we just gonna keep pounding, keep digging out there.”
La Salle also avenged a 76-80 defeat to NU when they first met last Oct. 19.
The Archers grabbed a 32-28 lead at the break and still enjoyed a 48-37 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Jake Figueroa scored 19 points and hauled down six rebounds for the Bulldogs, while John Lloyd Clemente got 15 markers and 11 boards.
