The UP Fighting Maroons thwarted the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors’ late rally to claim its third win, 81-66, in the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) Season 84 men’s basketball tournament on April 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

UP had a good start at the get go of the game. Behind the sweet shooting hands of Ricci Rivero, CJ Cansino, and Carl Tamayo, the Fighting Maroons coasted to a 31-14 lead at the end of the first 10 minutes of the ballgame.

In the second quarter, UP continued to control and assert its dominance. Xavier Lucero’s two free throws put the Fighting Maroons on a commanding 29-point lead, 48-19, at the 2:56 mark of the second frame. However, a 13-2 counter-run by UE cut UP’s lead to 18 points, 50-32, going into the second half of the game.

UP then further pushed the tempo in the third frame and established its biggest lead, 65-35, at the 3:56 mark of the quarter. The Fighting Maroons eventually closed out the third quarter with a 71-45 advantage.

In the final period, the Red Warriors clamped on the Fighting Maroons’ offense and outscored UP on 19-4 blast, courtesy of Kyle Paranada and Clint Escamis’ hot shooting to trim down UP’s lead to 11 points, 64-75, with still 2 minutes and 43 seconds left in the game. Maodo Diouf, however, scored six-straight points to give the Fighting Maroons the separation it needed en route to UP’s third victory in four outings.

With the win, UP is now in second place, tied with the De La Salle University Green Archers, with a 3-1 record.

Lucero and Rivero paced UP with 14 points apiece. Cansino scored 10 points, while Tamayo and Diouf contributed 8 and 7 points, respectively. UP’s next game is against Adamson University Soaring Falcons, April 5, Tuesday, 1 p.m.