In a game that was expected to go the other way, UE emerged the winner over La Salle, 57-56, yesterday to deal the defending champions Green Archers their second straight loss so young into the 68th UAAP season.
"Iba talaga. Iba ang feeling," said UE coach Dindo Pumaren who found himself in the middle of the Warriors’ center court celebration shortly after the final buzzer sounded at the Loyola Gym packed with screaming fans.
As the Warriors whooped it up, the Green Archers bowed their heads in defeat.
Coach Franz Pumaren, Dindo’s elder brother, was a clear picture of frustration, considering they had just lost to UP three days back.
But apparently, La Salle placed the game under protest.
La Salle officials talked to table officials after the game, seemingly contesting what should have or could have been a goal-tending violation by UE’s Elmer Espiritu on Cholo Villanueva late in the third quarter.
La Salle captain Joseph Yeo was seen signing a piece of paper which could be the protest sheet. League commissioner Joe Lipa confirmed that table officials were informed by La Salle officials of the protest.
"The table officials have been informed about it. Pero hindi ko pa natatanggap," said Lipa when asked if the Green Archers have indeed placed the game under protest.
"Ako tingin ko hindi goal-tending," said the UE coach. UE also defeated La Salle in their second-round encounter last year.
Following big wins over Santo Tomas and La Salle, UP added National University to its growing list of victims in the other game.
The Maroons engaged the Bulldogs in a tight game until they broke loose at the start of the fourth quarter where they turned a 58-52 lead into a 74-59 spread with three minutes, 37 ticks remaining.
Their defense holding, the Maroons kept the Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the way to post the most lopsided victory so far in the season, eclipsing La Salle’s 18-point win over Ateneo last week.
But despite the victory, which pushed UP on top of the eight-team standings, coach Lito Vergara didn’t look and sound as jubilant as his players and the UP fans as well.
"I really don’t like being on top this early because my players might think that it’s over," said the UP coach, who also had a six-game, second-round win streak with the Maroons last year.
"It’s still a long way to go. That’s what I’m going to tell my players later. What’s really important is the second round," he said.
"When we won against La Salle I told my players that we have to respect NU. And don’t take them for granted. True enough, the first three quarters hindi sila aggressive at parang relaxed. So again, I told them hindi puwedeng ganyan ang attitude," he said.
The Maroons will go for a fourth straight win this Saturday when they face the UE Warriors at the Big Dome. Another win and they will match UP’s hottest start in years – a 4-0 record under coach Eric Altamirano in 1997.
Axel Doruelo, a fresh recruit from San Sebastian Cavite, drew cheers with his 20 points and 12 rebounds in just 29 minutes. Standing close to six feet, he plays the off-guard position.
"Mukhang blessing ang pag-pasok niya sa amin," said Vergara.