Olivarez, UP pace PG Flex Invitational Quintana Cup cagefest

Bryan Manuel of Olivarez College soars for a layup.

UCAL

Games Thursday

(Paco Arena)

4 p.m. – Letran vs Gardner

5:45 p.m. – ICC vs CEU

7:30 p,m. – MCU vs Diliman

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning UCAL titlist Olivarez College and University of the Philippines stayed 1-2 in the team standings after pulling off contrasting wins against their respective rivals in the PG Flex Invitational Tournament 2025 Quintana Cup on Monday, October 27, at the Paco Arena in Manila.

The Sea Lions came through with a decisive run in the third quarter to hack out an 87-77 win over the Diliman Blue Dragons and stay undefeated through five games, while the UP Maroons outlasted the Letran Knights, 80-76, for a 5-1 record in the 9-team preseason tournament.

Centro Escolar University, meantime, eked out a 76-74 win over San Sebastian College-Recoletos, to tie Letran for third to fourth places with similar 3-2 cards.

Out to secure a slot for Olivarez’s starting unit in the coming UCAL competition, Bryan Manuel did almost everything on the court with equal tenacity, posting 27 points, eight rebounds, four steals and one assist.

Rodel Renon tallied only seven points but his veteran presence made the big difference as he sparked the team’s telling run early in the third, creating a much-needed separation that saw them take several 11-point leads.

The Maroons, on the other hand, used their height and heft advantage to prevail over the hard-fighting Knights — thanks to heroics of Joshua Coronel and Arvie Poyos.

Coronel broke a 74-all count with a sequence of brilliance as he grabbed an offensive rebound following a miss by Veejay Pre before making a tough basket.

Poyos, a prized-find from Davao and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, also made two free throws in the last 12 seconds to seal the win.

Raf Miles led the Maroons with 19 points and nine boards, while James Payosing and Pre added 11 and nine points, respectively.

The event is backed by Smart Sports, Crane, Topflite, Hapee Toothpaste, Gerry’s Grill, Spalding, Mighty Bond and Best Options.