Gerry Abadiano leads UP's late charge to clobber Chengchi in tune-up battle

Gerry Abadiano waxed hot late to give Chengchi a beatdown in LB. FilOil EcoOil Sports (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

LOS BANOS—Gerry Abadiano sparked a late rally from the University of the Philippines to pull away from reigning World University Basketball Series champion National Chengchi University of Taiwan en route to a 92-67 blowout win in a pre-UAAP tune-up game on Friday at the Copeland Gym inside UP Los Banos.

With the game tight until early in the fourth quarter, Abadiano caught fire within the last eight minutes as he fired three triples as part of the Fighting Maroons' game-ending 26-3 run to pull away for good.

UP actually shot six threes within that span with CJ Cansino draining two and Janjan Felicida making one.

"It was a change of intensity noong fourth," coach Goldwin Monteverde told Dugout Philippines what transpired in the final frame after the Maroons let the Griffins claw their way back to the game after an early double-digit hole and even take the lead in the second and third quarters.

Abadiano finished with 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while Malick Diouf added 14 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal for UP, which aims to reclaim the UAAP title after losing to Ateneo in the Season 85 finals last Christmas.

Hsin Hao-Sung, Zhi Kai-Wu, and Boubacar Mboup each tallied 12 markers for Chengchi with Mboup also grabbing 13 boards.

Box Scores:

UP 92-Abadiano 21, Diouf 14, Lopez 12, Torres 8, Cansino 8, Briones 7, Belmonte 5, Felicida 5, Torculas 4, Alter 4, Cagulangan 2, Pablo 2, Gagate 0, Alarcon 0

Chengchi 67-Hsin 12, Zhi 12, Mboup 12, Yun 10, Te 7, Drame 6, Ai 4, Chao 2, HL Tzu 2, HT Tzu 0, Li 0

Quarterscores: 28-20, 44-43, 64-61, 92-67

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