The Warriors put on a fast and furious pace all throughout the game, employing a full-court press whenever possible to deal the Maroons their first loss of the season.
Since losing to title-favorite Far Eastern University in the opener last July 9, UE has won three in a row, beating NU and La Salle, to install itself as one of the teams to watch this year.
Coach Dindo Pumaren, who has passed on his run-and-gun style in the PBA to the Warriors, couldn’t be happier as he watched his team wrap up the victory that shoved them into a tie with the Maroons.
"We played with a lot of aggressiveness and intensity and we took away their inside game. That was the key," he said inside the Big Dome’s press room.
His counterpart from UP — Lito Vergara — failed to keep his emotions in check, especially in the third quarter when he had to leave the court after suffering from hypertension.
Vergara returned to the bench at the start of the fourth quarter, his team trailing, 35-45. He seemed more relaxed even during UP’s late rally and smiled as he shook Pumaren’s hand in the end.
The game was as physical as expected with players getting involved in some shoving and elbowing and a couple of mad scrambles for the loose ball.
The Warriors stunned the Maroons with their full-court press very similar to that of Salle, being coached by Dindo’s brother Franz. Their elder brother Derrick sits behind the UE bench as consultant.
The press helped the Warriors pull away in the third quarter where they forced the Maroons to six turnovers in the first three minutes. UE led by 14 points at one point.
Earn Saguindel finished with 13 points and was followed by Boni Custodio with a dozen. Robert Labagala and Marcy Arellano manned the backcourt and combined for 13 points.
In the second game, La Salle failed to score in the first eight minutes of the final quarter but managed to beat Adamson, 65-58, on TY Tang’s heroics. Both teams now sport 2-2 records.
Tang broke the spell for La Salle when he split his charities in the final two minutes then broke the hearts of the Falcons with a triple in the ensuing play, giving the Green Archers a 63-58 lead with 50 ticks left.