MAROONED in the wilderness for decades, University of the Philippines enjoyed some measure of success in the past few years but is still in search of the title for the 36th year.
The Fighting Maroons seemed to have strike gold by tapping high school champion coach Goldwin Monteverde and adding prized recruits this season.
Leaning on a fiery start and a sustained charge, UP humbled gritty National University 84-76 yesterday for its seventh straight win and solo second in the 84th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Big man Carl Tamayo scattered a career-high 21 points, to go with 10 rebounds and two assists for the Maroons, while Fil-Am forward Zavier Lucero backed him up with 16 markers, eight boards, and three blocks.
Ricci Rivero also had 16 and six for UP, which scored a fitting follow-up to its 83-76 triumph over Far Eastern University four days ago and hiked its record to 7-1. The Maroons’ seven-game winning skein is their best start since having the same run in 1986 where they bagged their last crown behind pro league greats Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc, and Eric Altamirano.
The Bulldogs, coming off a 77-61 drubbing of the University of the East Red Warriors last Saturday, dropped to 4-4 for fourth.
UP also beat NU 80-70 when they first met last March 31.
In the second game, rookie Matty Erolon boomed in a triple off a Jerom Lastimosa pass with 3.0 seconds left that lifted Adamson University to a nail-biting 64-63 squeaker over Far Eastern University to halt a five-game losing skid.
The Tams went to Nigerian import Emman Ojuola in their last play but came up empty.
Lastimosa tallied 17 points, hauled down eight rebounds, and dished off two assists for the Soaring Falcons, while Cedrick Manzano added 14 markers and four caroms.
