UP cruises past NU to clinch third straight Filoil Preseason crown
At A Glance
- University of the Philippines etched its name in history books after securing a three-peat in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup with a commanding 79-65 win over National University on Sunday, July 27, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
(FilOil EcoOil Sports)
By ANGELO CAPARAS Intern
University of the Philippines etched its name in history books after securing a three-peat in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup with a commanding 79-65 win over National University on Sunday, July 27, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The Fighting Maroons stepped on the gas in the payoff period, pulling away by as much as 23 points after Francis Nnoruka knocked down a jumper that stretched the margin to 72-49 early in the fourth.
The Bulldogs managed to cut the lead down to 13 in the final minute, but their comeback hopes faded after Gelo Santiago and Kenshin Padrones misfired on crucial attempts following a free throw by Harold Alarcon, sealing the win for UP.
Nnoruka anchored the Fighting Maroons with a solid double-double outing of 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Gerry Abadiano was named Finals MVP after contributing 13 points and two boards to cap UP’s dominant run.
Jake Figueroa and Padrones were the lone bright spots for the Bulldogs, finishing with 12 and 10 points, respectively, as the only NU players to notch double digits.
After a historic win, UP took home the prestigious ECJ Perpetual Trophy, conceptualized and constructed specifically for any squad able to complete a three-peat in the tourney.
Before claiming the reward, the Fighting Maroons went through the eye of a needle—finishing only as the third seed in the eliminations before outlasting Benilde in the quarterfinals and surviving top-seeded De La Salle University in the semis.