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volleyball   Maroons goes for win #2 

Jemal & Toti

12.08.2004, Aeron Valderrama

The UP Men's Basketball Team is on a streak, this time a winning streak, as they overpowered the UST Growling Tigers, 79-74, to snatch the second round opener and their second straight win at the Araneta Coliseum, August 12.

The two teams both try to find their offensive groove as Tiger Danilo Pribhdas scored the first absket barely two minutes have gone by at 8:51 mark. But UP forward Nestor David answered with power play to the game 2-apiece. The Maroons then gained momentum as they had a steal, and then a fast break courtesy of team captain Toti Almeda to lead 6-2. Then UP play with more hussle and inside presence, and translated every defensive efforts into offense as they build up a 21-8 margin. UST then answered with the baskets of Jemal Vizcarra and Christian Luanzon. The quarter ended, 21-14.

The second period started with an all-UST scoring run, but UP countered. UP continue to play strong and focused with their pressure defense and excellent rebounding as they ended the half 45-30, despite three-point plays and treys surrendered to the Tigers.

The Fighting Maroons are unstoppable as they go for a 6-0 run bringing the score up to a 21-point separation, 51-30. Vizcarra then pulled a trey and a then a fastbreak lay-up, 56-45 at 2:35 mark before pay-off period. The period ended 62-51, with a UST run at the buzzer, but still with UP in the lead and in control of the game.

UST scored the first basket of the last period bringing the lead down to single-digit, 62-53. The Maroons dominated the whole quarter, countering every UST run, with the shots of their team leader Almeda, and the whole team as well. It seems like UP's running away with win #2 when Pribhdas shot a three-pointer closing the gap to only 4. However, UP did not falter on their defense, and their offense, and shooting some crucial free throws. The game ended at 79-74.

UP is still at seventh place but the win gives the team a momentum, at 2-6; relegating UST back to .500 mark at 4-4. The Fighting Maroons tries to continue and extend this winning streak and end another, as they battle the UE Red Warriors on Sunday, 2 pm at the Philsports Multi-purpose Arena.