Standings
Group A
W L
UE-Philippines 2 0
Khabarovsk 2 0
Jilin 0 2
Heilongjiang 0 2
Group B
Malaysia 2 0
Liaoning 1 1
Jixi 1 1
Vladivostok 0 2

JIXI City, Heilongjiang — Two out of two para sa University of the East-Philippines.

Tulad ng inaasahan, magiting na iwinagayway ng Red Warriors ang bandila ng Pilipinas matapos itala ang 97-64 panalo laban sa host team Heilongjiang Youth sa 37th Promotion Cup international invitational basketball tournament sa Jixi Convention and Exhibition Center.

Buo ang loob matapos ang 104-77 panalo sa Jilin Northeast Tigers nung opening day, kaagad nagpasiklab ang Red Warriors sa unang mga minuto ng laro upang gulatin ang kanilang mga Chinese opponents sa harap ng kanilang madaming mga taga suporta.

Nagpakitang gilas si Dylan Benedict Despi para sa Red Warriors nina coach Chris Gavina at team manager Jean Alabanza matapos umiskor ng game-high 18 points.

Si Despi, ang prized recruit mula Bacolod Tay Tung High School, ang nag-pasimuno ng mainit na paglalaro para sa Red Warriors, na nanguna mula simula hanggang matapos ang laro.
“We just followed the instructions of our coach. We really worked hard on our defense. Yun talaga ang importante,” pahayag ng 20-year-old na si Despi, na incoming freshman student sa UE
Tatlong iba pang players — Mark Joseph Cabero, Drew Jimenez at Cole Cruz-Dumont — ang nagtala din ng double-digit scores para sa Tanduay Athletics-supported Red Warriors, na lumalahok sa nasabing international tournament bilang bahagi ng kanilang paghahanda sa pagbubukas ng UAAP Season 88 sa susunod na buwan.

Si Cabero ay nag-ambag ng 12 points, habang sina Jimenez at Cruz-Dumont ay nagdaggag ng tig 11 points para sa Red Warriors, na lumamang, 28-12, sa first quarter, 59-28 sa halftime at 83-47 sa third quarter.

Nakatulong din sina Kristoper Lagat (nine points), Drayton Caoile (eight ponts) at Mariano Tanedo at John Abate (six points each), Nurjadden Datumalim, Nico Mulingtapang, Thirdy Malaga, at Ronjie Go.

Nagpahayag naman ng kasiyahan si newly-appointed UE coach Chris Gavina sa magandang nilaro ng Red Warriors, lalo na sa depensa, laban sa Heilongjiang.

“Today, we were really aggresive on the defensive side of the floor. We were able to apply our backcourt pressure and it really showed from opening tip. We were able to dictate and influenced the type of shots we wanted them to take. We were able to convert on 22 turnovers that we created with our defense. That’s really the game plan,” paliwanag ni Gavina, na umaasam na maibibigay sa UE ang una nitong UAAP title matapos huling manalo nung 1985.

Gayunman, sinabi ng 46-year-old mentor na madami pang dapat ma-improve ang Red Warriors.

“I believe we shot 16 of 25 from thefree throw line and I still feel like we can generate more points off assists. We still have to be more attentive towards details on our close out and not give up on those wide open shots,” dagdag pa ni Gavina, na dating nagsilbi ding head coach ng Taichung Suns sa T1 League sa Taiwan nung 2022.

Sinabi pa ni Gavina, na pinalitan si Jack Santiago bilang UE coach nung February, na haharap ang Red Warriors sa matinding pagsubok laban sa Russian team.

“We’ll enjoy the win today. As I’ve said, it’s all about mindset. We have to be consistent, play defense and make sure not to allow a lot of open shots for the shooters of Russia,” pahayag ni Gavina, na sinusuportahan nina former PBA player Paulo Hubalde, Melvin Reyes, RJ Argamino, Carlo Perigrino De Dios, at John Mari Quilang sa coaching staff

Sunod na makakaharap ng UE ang Habas-Khabarovsk State University of Physical Education ng Russia, na nanalo din sa kanilang unang dalawang laro laban sa Heilongjiang (86-65) at Jilin (85-73).

Sa Group B, namamayagpag ang Malaysia matapos magwagi laban sa Liaoning University (90-67) at Jixi Youth ( 101-41).

Tabla ang Lioaning at Jixi sa 1-1 record, habang 0-2 ang Vladivostok State University-Russia .

Tinalo ng Liaoning ang Vladivostok, 86-62.

Samantala, wagi din ang host Jixi laban sa Vladivostok, 83-72.

Ang kampanya ng Red Warriors dito sa Jixi City ay itinataguyod ng Armstrong Philippines, sa pangunguna ni Norman Gomez.

Last year, ang University of Cebu ang kumatawan sa bansa sa 36th edition ng kumpetisyon.