UST, UP triumph

Javi Gomez de Liano’s career-high performance lifts University of the Philippines. DAVID JOHN CUBANGBANG

University of Santo Tomas (UST) and University of the Philippines (UP) scored contrasting wins at the start of Season 82 University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Growling Tigers demolished University of the East (UE), 95-82, behind the strong performance from prized recruit Rhenz Abando while the Kobe Paras-less Fighting Maroons edged Far Eastern University (FEU), 61-55.

Javi Gomez de Liano tallied a career-high 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field to lead the opening win of UP, which missed the services of Paras due to a mild ankle sprain.

“The way Javi scored against the FEU was what bailed us out. As I said, we could have gone better but this is just the first game,” Fighting Maroons head coach Bo Perasol said.

“As a team, I think we did okay. It’s not the best of us yet, some of us are not yet 100%,” said Gomez de Liano.

Ricci Rivero, the former La Salle star, debuted for UP and scored seven points including an alley-oop slam in the first half that fired up the Fighting Maroons squad.

“I’d like him (Ricci) to do that most of the time because he can. There’s no question abou t that,” said Perasol on his newest ace.

The Maroons took advantage of the Tamaraws’ poor shooting as the Morayta-based squad hit just 20-of-72 from the field.

In the opening game, Abando sizzled with 22 points to lift UST to a 13-point victory over the Bong Tan-mentored Red Warriors.

“Right in the first game, the mindset of the players to set the tone early really showed,” Growling Tigers head coach Aldin Ayo said.

“It feels good to win your first game because it gives you confidence and it boosts your morale especially when you have nine newcomers in the team,” he added.

Brent Paraison and CJ Cansino, returned from an ACL injury, added 10 and nine markers, respectively for UST.