UP Maroons win third straight Filoil Preseason Cup

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons clinched their third consecutive title in the PlayTime Cares Filoil EcoOil 18th Preseason Cup by defeating National University with a score of 79-65 on Sunday.

Francis Nnoruka, UP's Nigerian center and new foreign student-athlete, led the team with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Gerry Abadiano was named Finals MVP with 13 points and three steals.

UP dominated from the start, leading by as many as 21 points in the third quarter and securing a 48-37 halftime lead after limiting NU to just 12 points in the first half.

Despite a late rally by the Bulldogs, UP maintained control of the game and won comfortably, making history with their three-peat feat in the annual preseason showcase.

UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde emphasized that the victory validates their hard work but stressed the importance of staying grounded as they prepare for the upcoming UAAP season.