UAAP: DLSU suffers close defeat at the hands of UE

The DLSU Green Archers suffered another heartbreaking loss in their fifth game of the season, succumbing to the UE Red Warriors, 85-83, at the Mall of Asia Arena today, July 20.

In a very close match-up which actually saw La Salle in the driver’s seat for most of the contest, the Green Archers collapsed in the final minutes of the game, giving up a 10-point lead in the fourth period and eventually losing their advantage to a wide open Ralf Olivares who hit a dagger three-pointer with 43.2 seconds left in the game. With its second straight loss, La Salle drops to a 2-3 win-loss record for the season.

Leading the way for La Salle was starting guard Almond Vosotros who finished with a career-high 26 points, 12 of which came from beyond the three-point line. Jeron Teng scored 13 points, all in the first half though. However, La Salle’s offense was not enough to match the three-man scoring machine of UE, led by Roi Sumang with a team-high 21 points along with bruising frontcourt players Charles Mammie and Chris Javier who added 19 and 16 points respectively.

Endgame collapse

An unlikely hero emerged for the Red Warriors as Olivares took over in the final minute scoring six points including the go ahead three pointer with 42.3 seconds left as UE never looked back sealing the game with freethrows. DLSU had several chances to grab the lead including a Luigi De La Paz jumper which would have tied the game at 84-all, but was ruled a two-point shot by the referees.

In the following possesion, Olivares was sent to the line by the Green Archers as he split his charities to make way for a two-point deficit for Coach Juno Sauler’s squad. The last play was seemingly set-up for a Thomas Torres three-pointer which would have won the game, however the point guard had to step inside the three point arc due to the suffocating defense and his shot rattled out as time expired.

UE takes advantage 

Free throws, the perrenial Achilles’ heel of the Green Archers, became UE’s best friend after they made 21 points from the line, missing only three out of 24 attempts.  UE also took advantage of the early fourth quarter penalty situation of the Green Archers, which led to outscoring its opponents by eight, 27-19, in the final period. Meanwhile for La Salle, old habits continue to die hard and their charities went down the drain as the team made only three of 11 in that department.

The tightly contested game saw twelve deadlocks and nine lead changes and featured highly efficient offense from both squads. Both teams shot higher than 40 percent from the field for the entire game and made more than 30 percent of their three point attempts.

The Green Archers will attempt to snap their two game losing skid in their next game against the AdU Soaring Falcons on Wednesday, July 24, at 4PM at the Araneta Coliseum. Both teams will be raring for an ever valuable victory that could help them sneak into the top four of the standings.

The Scores

Quarter scores: 18-18, 39-43, 59-63, 85-83

UE 85: Sumang 21, Mammie 19, Javier 16, Alberto 9, Olivares 8, Noble 8, Santos 4, Sumido 0, Jumao-as 0, Hernandez 0, Galanza 0, Flores 0, Casajeros 0

DLSU 83: Vosotros 26, Teng 13, N. Torres 9, T. Torres 9, van Opstal 8, de la Paz 8, Salem 6, Perkins 4, Tampus 0, Montalbo 0, Revilla 0