MANILA, Philippines – A dream UAAP men’s basketball showdown turned ugly on a dime as the defending champion La Salle Green Archers walloped the rising UST Growling Tigers, 88-67, as the Season 87 first round enters its homestretch at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, September 29.
The rolling Green Archers created a crucial standings gap with the win, rising to 5-1 with back-to-back wins and sending UST down to a 3-2 tie at third with red-hot UE.
Mean, green, rebounding machine Mike Phillips yet again gave everything he had to set the tone, exploding to a massive 12-point, 18-board double-double with 9 corralled from the offensive end.
MVP Kevin Quiambao took a backseat for his lofty standards with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, as Vhoris Marasigan backstopped Phillips with 11 points.
Crucial bench pieces Raven Gonzales and JC Macalalag, meanwhile, scored 10 apiece.
“Well, I think the key for us this afternoon was we just really tried to outwork them. We know what they’re capable of. We know how well-coached that team is,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson.
“They’re riding off very good momentum coming to our game and we said our goal right now is to just outwork UST and I’m glad that we just really did what we’re supposed to do this afternoon. We’re just fortunate and blessed to get this win.”
La Salle fired off three different game-changing runs to emphatically seal the win, the first coming at the start of the second half with an 18-5 spurt, turning a 30-29 second-quarter lead to 14 in the third, 48-34, off a Phillips split charity trip with 6:10 left.
Although UST responded with an 8-1 rally to get as near as 7, 42-49, the Archers loaded a fresh 10-2 barrage, reestablishing a 59-44 separation off Doi Dungo free throws with 1:47 remaining in the third.
The Tigers again tried to stop the bleeding with an 8-2 end to the third period, 52-61, but the unrelenting champions slammed the door shut for good with an 8-0 start to the final frame, capped with a Joshua David layup with 7:17 left to play for the 17-point gap, 69-52.
Alex Konov then scored his first UAAP points in booming fashion in the game’s twilight, swishing a dagger three with 31.4 ticks left to peak the lead at 24, 88-64, as La Salle cruised to another win.
Nic Cabañero paced the loss with 16 points on 7-of-11 shootiing, followed closely by 15 markers and 5 assists from fellow leader Forthsky Padrigao.
The Scores
La Salle 88 – M. Phillips 12, Marasigan 11, Quiambao 10, Macalalag 10, Gonzales 10, Agunanne 7, Gollena 6, Austria 6, Dungo 6, David 4, Abadam 3, Konov 3, Ramiro 0.
UST 67 – Cabanero 16, Padrigao 15, Acido 9, Manaytay 8, Tounkara 5, Llemit 5, Danting 5, Robinson 2, Lane 2, Crisostomo 0, Pangilinan 0, Mahmood 0, Laure 0, Estacio 0, Paranada 0, Calum 0.
Quarters: 19-18, 36-30, 61-52, 88-67.
– Rappler.com
