COACH Goldwin Monteverde of defending champion University of the Philippines is sounding like a broken record already — his charges’ slow starts are proving to be their biggest bane this season — although they won pulling away against Adamson University yesterday.
Propped up by a furious attack bridging the third and fourth quarters, the Fighting Maroons scored a 91-70 victory over the Soaring Falcons for their fifth straight win in the 85th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Six-foot-10 Senegalese import Malick Diouf notched a career-high 20 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and issued two assists for UP, while Carl Tamayo chipped in 18 markers and five boards.
Zavier Lucero and Terrence Fortea also had 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Maroons, who sustained the same grit and resolve they showed in a 75-63 ripping of National University four days ago and hiked their card to 8-1.
Adamson, coming off a stunning 86-84 overtime escape over La Salle last Oct. 22, fell to 3-5.
Earlier, University of the East manhandled hapless University of Santo Tomas 81-51 to get back on track.
CJ Payawal showed the way for the Red Warriors with 17 points, eight rebounds and, and five assists, while Luis Villegas had 16 markers and four caroms.
JM Tulabut also added eight and seven as UE atoned for a 68-75 defeat to Far Eastern University last Sunday and improved to 4-5.
The Growling Tigers reeled off to their seventh straight setback, including a 51-76 shellacking at the hands of UP last Oct. 22 for a 1-7 slate.
“Iyon pa rin, we didn’t have the start na gusto namin. We need to improve on our defense. I think they made 45 points in the first half,” Monteverde said.
“Habang nagpro-progress iyong season, we have to work on that. I think iyon pa rin, being consistent and not thinking about whatever standing we’re at now,” he added.
UP seized a 50-45 lead at the halfway mark that it stretched to 69-57 heading into the final stanza.
The Maroons hardly met resistance from the Falcons, who faded in the second half, and enjoyed a gap as big as 22 points.
Jerom Lastimosa carried the fight for Adamson with 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists but he did not finish the game after hurting his right ankle with 5:42 remaining in the fourth after he scored on a reverse layup but stepped on the foot of JD Cagulangan.
Cedrick Manzano also contributed 10 and three for the Falcons.
Vince Magbuhos had to be helped out of the court after a collision with Diouf in the third canto.
The Maroons downed Adamson 87-78 in overtime in their first-round duel last Oct. 5.
