The UP Fighting Maroons ended the first round of the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) Season 84 men’s basketball tournament with a breathtaking win, 83-76, against the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws on April 9 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The team’s win over FEU came only a couple of days after UP beat the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers to a thrilling-win, 61-59, on April 7. Prior to the Thursday game, both UP and DLSU had an identical 4-1 win-loss record.

Zavier Lucero once again carried the Fighting Maroons, especially in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his career-high 27 point-production. Lucero, however, got the much-needed support from Ricci Rivero, Carl Tamayo, and Joel Cagulangan in the final stretch of the game.

Both teams had a sluggish start, with FEU taking the lead, 18-14 at the end of the first 10 minutes of the game. It was a back-and-forth affair in the second quarter, having six lead changes and two deadlocks, with FEU up by a point going into the second half of the game.

Lucero and the rest of the team came out firing and went on a roll to close out the third frame with an eight-point lead, 58-50.

With one minute and 50 seconds left in the game and the Fighting Maroons ahead by only three points, Lucero converted a triple to give UP the cushion needed from the gritty Tamaraws. In the ensuing plays, FEU’s Xyrus Torres and LJ Gonzales scored on a triple and a free throw, respectively, to trim down UP’s lead to two points, 76-74, at the 1:24 mark of the game.

Tamayo then countered with an “and one” basket to give UP a four-point advantage, 78-74. FEU’s Emman Ojoula committed an error on a rebound play, giving the ball possession to UP with one minute left in the game. Cagulangan then scored on a drive to the basket to increase UP’s lead to six, 80-74, with 45.1 seconds remaining.

Gonzales converted on a layup to put FEU within striking distance, 76-80, but Rivero answered with an “and-one” conversion to seal UP’s six straight victory.

Lucero’s 27 points, coupled with 12 rebounds, three steals, and one block earned him his fifth best player award of the game. Tamayo had 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal, while Rivero contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

Meanwhile, to recap UP’s Thursday game against DLSU, the two teams closely contested the game with DLSU getting the slight advantage, 48-43, going into the final frame of the game.

The Green Archers seemed to pull away by establishing its biggest lead, 52-45, on a jumper by Deschon Winston at the 7:44 mark of the final quarter. However, the Fighting Maroons, led by Lucero, unleashed a 12-2 run to take the lead, 57-54, with still three minutes and 40 seconds left in the game.

With the score tied at 59, Lucero converted a basket on an offensive rebound to give back the lead to the Fighting Maroons at the 1:43 mark of the final frame. UP then was able to hold on to its precarious lead in the dying seconds of the game by challenging and denying DLSU big-man Michael Phillips’ drive at the basket to give UP’s fifth straight win.

Cagulangan, who provided Lucero the spark that fueled UP’s run in the payoff period, added five points, tallied seven assists, collared five rebounds, and two steals. Tamayo and CJ Cansino contributed nine points apiece.

At the Thursday game, UP starters had more points over DLSU, 42-38, while DLSU outscored the Fighting Maroons in the bench points production, 21-19. UP will start the second round campaign on April 12, 10 a.m., against the National University Bulldogs.