The University of the Philippines (UP) kicked off their UAAP Season 87 campaign with a commanding 77-61 win over Ateneo de Manila University at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Saturday night.
UP maintained a slim 17-16 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended it to a 40-30 advantage by halftime, thanks to key contributions from Terrence Fortea and Francis Lopez. Ateneo attempted a comeback, narrowing the gap to 54-62 midway through the fourth quarter after trailing by 18 in the third.
However, UP quickly halted Ateneo's momentum. JD Cagulangan hit a pivotal jumper, and Francis Lopez followed with five consecutive points, including a layup and a one-handed dunk, to push UP's lead back to 15 points with 4:03 remaining, 69-54.
Cagulangan nearly achieved a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. Lopez added 14 points on perfect shooting from the field, plus six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
UP will face the University of the East Red Warriors next Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Ateneo will look to recover against the University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday, also at 6:30 p.m.
