It was a resounding victory for the UP Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) in their second round battle against the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles, 75-47, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on Oct. 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Francis Lopez top scored for the UP Fighting Maroons with 20 points, five rebounds, one steal, and a block. He was named best player of the game.

The UP Fighting Maroons had a slim lead, 17-15, at the end of the first quarter. The UP Fighting Maroons then went on a scoring run to build some separation from the Blue Eagles, extending their lead to 11 points, 39-28, by the halftime break.

The UPMBT further stepped up the tempo of the game, scoring 15-straight points while handling the Blue Eagles scoreless in the first five minutes of the third period. The team’s assault was led by Francis Lopez’s sniping from the rainbow territory. Quentin Millora-Brown and Gani Stevens also made their presence felt by scoring in the shaded lane. The UP Fighting Maroons had a commanding lead, 66-40, going into the final frame.

With stifling defense by challenging ADMU’s every shot, the UP Fighting Maroons limited ADMU’s production to only seven points in the payoff period. A lay-up by rookie Jacob Bayla in the latter part of the game established the UP Fighting Maroons’ biggest lead, 75-45, en route to UPMBT’s ninth win. Millora-Brown also played well dishing out a double-double performance with his 11 points and 10 rebounds. Bayla contributed eight points and six rebounds, while Stevens and Reyland Torres chipped in seven points apiece.