National University entered the win column after easing past University of the East, 76-56, in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bulldogs recovered from an opening day loss at the hands of defending champion La Salle to improve to a 1-1 card.
‘In our first game, I don’t know why, but we had a lot of lapses that we needed to work on,’ NU coach Jeff Napa, whose team led by as many as 23, said in Filipino.
‘There were times in this game when we relaxed a little. We have to address that as well so we can be better in our next games.’
The Red Warriors scored the game’s first points courtesy of Toper Lagat, but that was the only time UE had the lead.
NU quickly went on to score 15 unanswered points, capped by a Reinhard Jumamoy triple with 4:44 left in the first quarter, which ended with the Bulldogs holding a commanding 25-8 lead.
UE suffered its second straight blowout loss of the season after taking a 101-74 whipping at the hands of Ateneo on Wednesday.
Jumamoy registered 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal for NU, while Mo Diassana had a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Kenshin Padrones added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Olamilekan Ajani’posted 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, while Lagat had 11.