#FilOil2019: Spencer goes clutch as UP takes down CEU

SAN JUAN -- UP needed James Spencer when it mattered the most as they returned to their winning ways at the FilOil FlyingV Preseason Cup, taking down CEU, 68-62 to open the Seniors division triple header at the FilOil FlyingV Centre last Saturday, May 25.

Reeling from last week's setback to San Sebastian, the Fighting Maroons buck the absence of Ricci Rivero, Kobe Paras and Juan Gomez De Liaño to get their third win in five games to hang on to fourth in Group A.

State U led by as much as 13 in the third, 45-32 on a Jaydee Tungcab floater when CEU made an uprising to set up a wild final frame.

After a Jun Manzo lay-up that hiked their lead to nine 63-54, the Scorpions unleashed an 8-0 reply to cut the lead to just a point on a Malick Diouf tip-in with 1:18 to go.

However, Spencer fired the game's last five points, including a face-up triple over Judel Fuentes with 25.1 left to ice the game.

The scores:

UP 68 -- Manzo 17, Akhuetie 13, Spencer 11, Ja. Gomez de Liaño 7, Gozum 7, Tungcab 6, Longa 3, Murrell 2, Gob 2, Webb 0, Jaboneta 0, Prado 0.

CEU 62 -- Diouf 28, Fuentes 13, Uri 7, Rojas 6, Ke. Caballero 4, Chan 2, Formento 2, Diaz 0, Santos 0, Sunga 0, Lisbo 0, Guinitaran 0, Bernabe 0.

Quarter scores: 15-18, 37-28, 52-45, 68-62

(photo by FilOil FlyingV Sports)