Locked-in UP shocks NU on protection, rides 24-3 turnaround for second win

Chilly-shooting NU fails to transform a area objective for 14 straight second-half minutes as defensive-minded UP phases an enormous rally for its second straight win in its UAAP Season 88 title protection bid

MANILA, Philippines – After a 0-2 begin to the UAAP Season 88 males’s basketball event, defending champion UP is again on observe at 2-2 after a scientific defensive shutdown of NU, 66-59, for the Bulldogs’ first lack of the season on the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, October 4.

Down 13 on the 6:25 mark of the third quarter, 47-34, UP activated its champion-caliber defensive chops to the tune of an enormous 24-3 turnaround, peaking with a 58-50 lead off a Gani Stevens layup with 2:57 left to play — 11 entire sport minutes after NU’s final area objective on the 4:09 mark of the third.

Harold Alarcon then drove residence the painful dagger with a mid-range shot on the 2:10 mark of the fourth for the 60-52 separation earlier than Bulldogs main scorer, Jake Figueroa, lastly broke the field-goal curse with a late three-ball on the 26-second mark — 14 entire minutes since their final non-free-throw make.

Excessive-flying international student-athlete Francis Nnoruka led the hard-earned comeback win with 14 factors and 6 rebounds, whereas fellow massive man Gani Stevens laced 10 factors, 5 boards, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Alarcon and Migs Yniguez every scored 8, with Alarcon stuffing all his makes within the pivotal fourth-quarter cost as NU fell to a 3-1 slate.

Steve Nash Enriquez led all scorers within the sorry dropping trigger with 16 factors, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and a pair of steals in simply 20 minutes.

Gelo Santiago added 10 factors in quarter-hour off the bench, whereas Figueroa bought checked to only 9 factors — 4 coming in rubbish time with lower than 30 seconds left in regulation.

All in all, NU solely made six area targets within the second half — two within the final 30 seconds of sport time — for a frigid 35% conversion fee general.

The Bulldogs additionally had 19 turnovers to their title, only one lower than their field-goal complete of 20 out of 58 makes an attempt.

The Scores

UP 66 – Nnoruka 14, Stevens 10, Alarcon 8, Yniguez 8, Remogat 6, Fortea 5, Bayla 4, Torres 4, Belmonte 4, Briones 3, Abadiano 0, Palanca 0.

NU 59 – Enriquez 16, Santiago 10, Figueroa 9, Palacielo 7, Francisco 4, Manansala 4, John 4, Jumamoy 3, Padrones 2, Garcia 0, Parks 0, Dela Cruz 0.

Quarters: 13-19, 34-40, 48-49, 66-59.

– Rappler.com