Rnd 2 basketball, game 1, August 12

Seniors



The Fighting Maroons banked another win! This time, in their first game in the second round. Going head to head with UST, the UP cagers amazed the Araneta Coliseum crowd with their performance. The Growling Tigers were stunned by Maroons' attacks and solid defense. Leading the game from the start, UP recorded its biggest lead in the game at 18 points, 45-27, during the second quarter.



During the second half, UST tried to overcome UP but only came up four points short, 72-68. Try as they might, the Tigers failed to slow down the Fighting Maroons. In the end, UP emerged victorious with a five-point lead, 79-74.

Juniors

After ending the first round with only one loss, the Junior Maroons faced their greatest opponent again in the second round of UAAP basketball, the UST Growling Cubs. The España dribblers have not lost a single game and they were the only ones who beat the Katipunan cagers in the first round.

The Cubs led the game from the beginning until a shot by Maroon Alvin Villanueva forced a deadlock at 51, four minutes into the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from teammate JM Aranas opened the way for a State U lead at 54-51. UST regained its lead with a free throw and a three-point basket, however.

Another basket from the paint was sunk by Villanueva and brought back the lead to UP. A free throw from Dex Oliveros made it a two-point ballgame with UP in the lead at 57-55, with only 54 seconds remaining. With UST's Oscar Crisostomo out of the game, having incurred 5 fouls, it was a sure win for UP. A buzzer beater from Cub Darryl Basa tied the game, however, at 57 apiece, and forced it into overtime.

26 seconds into OT, Maroon Miggy Maniego committed his fifth foul and left the game. The teams matched each other point for point and the game was tied yet again at 61, with 3 minutes left in the ball game. Oliveros sank three points for UP and paved the way for another lead. Basa of UST once again made a two-point field goal that cut the lead to one, 68-67, with only 22 seconds left. Another buzzer beater from fellow Tomasino Hector Badua left UP stunned as UST clinched another win against the State U, 69-68.