UP stretches UAAP streak to 6 in win over Adamson

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ impressive UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball campaign continued after they took down the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, 82-70, on Nov. 4, 2026, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

With the win, UP reclaimed the top spot in the UAAP standings, extending its winning streak to six straight games while overtaking the National University Bulldogs, who previously shared the No. 1 spot with the Fighting Maroons.

Unlike their wire-to-wire win over the UE Red Warriors, UP faced a tougher challenge from Adamson as the boys in blue drew the Fighting Maroons into a highly physical battle early in the contest.

Instead of allowing UP easy high-low entry passes to initiate its handoff actions, the Soaring Falcons stuck to their traditional zone defense, which caught the Fighting Maroons off guard.

Adamson’s disciplined defense helped the team pull within two points, 19-17, but UP quickly restored order midway through the second quarter with a momentum-shifting 13-3 run.

Led by James Payosing and Noy Remogat, the Fighting Maroons found a way to break Adamson’s zone by executing their pick-and-pop plays earlier than expected, resulting in a 14-point advantage at halftime.

Adamson tried to fight back and received an offensive masterclass from Matt Erolon, who almost single-handedly helped the Soaring Falcons turn a lopsided affair into a mano-a-mano contest.

Erolon’s 3-point barrage cut Adamson’s deficit to just five points entering the final quarter, backed by Earl Medina and Monty Montebon’s offensive resurgence.

Just when the Soaring Falcons thought they could replicate their comeback against De La Salle University two weeks earlier, UP showed it was a different breed as Veejay Pre and Remogat steered the Fighting Maroons to a strong finish.

With only 2:54 remaining and Adamson trying to halt UP’s streak, Pre sank a much-needed jumper, followed by Remogat’s clutch 3-pointer that put the Fighting Maroons ahead by double digits again.

Unfortunately, the Soaring Falcons failed to sustain their level of play in the most crucial stretch and could only watch Remogat bury a deflating dagger layup at the 1:34 mark to put the game out of Adamson’s reach.

Payosing took charge in UP’s sixth consecutive win, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals, while foreign student-athlete Dikachi Ududo contributed a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Both schools will play in the same UAAP doubleheader on Nov. 7, with the Fighting Maroons seeking to keep their streak alive against the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles and Adamson aiming to boost its Final Four chances against UE.