SHOWING the strength of their bench even while short-handed, the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers snapped the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons’ winning streak with a 72-69 victory on Sunday.
Truly, there was no more fitting way to cap off the first round of UAAP Season 88 than with an intense finals rematch between last year’s title contenders, played before a roaring, packed crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
La Salle showed that playing without Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan was no issue. Despite their absence due to injuries, the Taft-based team managed to halt the Maroons, who were eyeing a five-game winning streak.
Overlooked by many—not only because of the loss of key players expected to lead after Kevin Quiambao’s departure—but also because of their up-and-down performance in the first round, the Green Archers silenced the critics.
Rivalry Rekindled
From the opening tip, DLSU came out aggressive, playing with heart and urgency. Led by Jacob Cortez and Luis Pablo, they jumped to a 12-5 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
Still, UP’s skipper Gerry Abadiano responded with a scoring burst, dropping 12 points in the period while spearheading a defensive surge that helped UP seize the lead at the end of the first, 27-20.
The second quarter saw UP continue their offensive rhythm, this time with Harold Alarcon stepping up—draining a corner triple and slicing through for a crafty layup—to stretch the lead to 36-29 with five minutes left.
But then EJ Gollena sparked La Salle’s rally, scoring seven straight points with a wing three and back-to-back layups. Cortez and Earl Abadam also contributed, helping DLSU reclaim the lead, 46-41, by halftime.
The third quarter followed the same thrilling pattern, with both teams trading baskets, leads, and momentum shifts. Eventually, Terrence Fortea nailed a three to push UP back in front, 60-57.
Taft Comes Through
Pablo delivered two key putbacks before Alarcon answered with a basket that gave the Fighting Maroons a 66-64 edge. But Abadam responded with a tough fadeaway jumper under two minutes left, tying the game at 66.
Not long after, Fortea stayed in rhythm and buried a deep three to restore a three-point lead for UP. Yet once again, Abadam had the answer—this time hitting a clutch corner triple to keep the Green Archers in it.
Then came the moment for Vhoris Marasigan, who came up big with a go-ahead putback off an Abadam miss. Mike Phillips followed that up by splitting his free throws, giving DLSU a 72-69 lead with just 13.1 seconds remaining.
From there, La Salle clamped down defensively, denying UP any scoring opportunities. The Maroons had one final shot to send the game to overtime as Chicco Briones found himself open from deep—but his shot wouldn’t fall.
That miss allowed Jacob Cortez to grab the rebound and dribble out the final seconds, sealing a massive momentum-boosting win to close out the first round, even in the absence of two key players.
No Excuses
Pablo topped all scorers with 14 points and six boards, while Cortez, Phillips, and Gollena each added 12 points. Cortez also logged six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Phillips dominated the glass with 19 rebounds, along with four assists and a steal.
For DLSU head coach Topex Robinson, the game was a true test of character—a chance to see how his team would respond without key players and after struggling to gain consistency early in the season.
Though Baclaan and Amos may miss the rest of the campaign, Robinson emphasized that their absence is no excuse. The team, he said, must continue to give their all and play to their full potential regardless of the circumstances.
“Yes, no Kean and no Mason, but also no excuses,” Robinson said. “As I always say: If we are going to come out, and whatever the result is, as long as we just give it our best.”
“We know that we are going up against the defending champions, and it was always going to be a test of character for us,” the one-time UAAP champion coach added.
First Round Recap
As the first round wraps up, the National University Bulldogs sit atop the standings with an impressive 6-1 record. Just behind them are the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, holding strong with a 5-2 slate.
Following a crucial win, the DLSU Green Archers forced a three-way deadlock for third place, joining the UP Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles with identical 4-3 records.
The Adamson University Soaring Falcons are still in the hunt, sitting at 3-4. Close behind are the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at 2-5, while the University of the East Red Warriors remain winless at 0-7.
In the MVP race, Mike Phillips currently leads with 84.429 statistical points (SPs), narrowly ahead of Collins Akowe, who has 84.286 SPs. Janrey Pasaol, who’s having a breakout season, follows in third with 80.429 SPs.
Rounding out the Elite Five are Precious Momowei—who had a dominant game versus La Salle—with 80.000 SPs, and NU’s Jake Figueroa, who stands at 77.429 SPs. All five players have appeared in seven games so far.
