Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News
Reigning UAAP champions UP Fighting Maroons opened the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Saturday with a rousing victory over NCAA Season 97 runners-up Mapua Cardinals.
The Fighting Maroons bucked their trademark slow start, as Gilas Pilipinas player Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano sparked a second-half surge by the team to pummel the Cardinals, 83-59, at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Tamayo finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Abadiano tallied 13 points to give 1-0 start for UP in Group A.
Down by seven early in the third, Tamayo drilled two 3-pointers to ignite a 13-4 run for a 52-44 lead, capped by a trey from Abadiano at the 1:37 mark.
UAAP finals hero JD Cagulangan ended the quarter with another 3 for UP for a 57-46 advantage heading to the payoff period.
It was all UP in the final quarter as the Fighting Maroons uncorked another 9-0 spurt to make it a 20-point ball game off 3-point baskets by Terrence Fortea, RC Calimag, and Miguel Ramos, 71-51.
Alain Madrigal stretched the lead to 26 with his own triple, 79-53, 2:24 left to play.
Carl Lacap and Warren Bonifacio were the lone bright spots for the Cardinal with 11 points apiece.
Meanwhile, all Fighting Maroon scored at least three points in the game.
Original article: https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/23/22/up-demolishes-mapua-by-24-points-in-filoil-opening