Cansino sizzles as Maroons rip Falcons

MANILA, Philippines -- CJ Cansino caught fire in the second half and shot the lights out as the UP Fighting Maroons opened their UAAP Season 86 bid with a rout over the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 68-51, Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Leading by just six heading into the second half, 31-25,  UP rode the hot hand of team captain Cansino to surge ahead by 20.Adamson tried to inch closer as they cut the lead to 10, 51-40, with 7:07 remaining in the game.

But Cansino hit timely buckets to help the Maroons keep the Falcons at a distance.

UP was led by reigning Most Valuable Player Malick Diouf with 20 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks.

Cansino finished with 19 points, 16 coming in the second half.

He shot 7-of-14 from the field, with five coming from beyond the arc.

Matthew Montebon scored 13 points for Adamson, while Didap Hanapi finished with 11 points and three rebounds for the Falcons.

UP's bench came up big, recording 44 points.

Francis Lopez' highly anticipated debut in the UAAP did not disappoint, as he recorded 13 rebounds and five points for the Fighting Maroons.