PCCL: DLSU sweeps SWU to end the year as national champions

At the beginning of 2013, there were many questions to what the Green Archers could achieve during the year. From a fresh crop of rookies to a sudden coaching change, many were wondering if this roster could live up to their label as championship contenders. After claiming the UAAP crown earlier in October to cement their status as the Kings of the UAAP their 70-61 win over the SWU Cobras cemented their status as the nation’s best.

With the Cobras threatening to extend the series a third and final game, Jason Perkins willed the Green Archers to victory and helped fend off a late SWU rally that cut the lead to five to give the Lasallian community another reason to celebrate as the year ends.

[We were] trying to be very aggressive on defense, [and we] stepped up [our] intensity”, said DLSU head coach Juno Sauler, adding that they will be resting after the long season that began with the UAAP.

SWU came out stronger in this game as they opened the scoring on a Landry Sanjo basket and led for the early part of the first quarter before Jeron Teng gave DLSU the lead after making his bonus free throw, 7-6, with 4:38 remaining in the first. Former Green Archer Mac Tallo gave the Cobras the lead again but a 10-0 run by DLSU capped off by a Gabby Reyes three pointer gave them a 19-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Green Archers began to pull away in the second quarter, as they stretched their lead to as much as 15, 30-15, on a Jeron Teng basket with three minutes to go before halftime. SWU was limited to only nine points in the quarter, as the Cobras missed their only attempt at the line.

After the halftime break, Robert Bolick hit a three to bring DLSU’s lead back to its highest at 15, 37-22 less than a minute into the third quarter. SWU’s Daryl Goloran came up big in the third as he scored eight big points in the third to keep the Cobras within fighting distance as a disqualifying foul on Thomas Torres also kept the Green Archers at bay.

In the fourth, Sanjo cut the lead to single digits as he lead a 7-3 run that cut the lead to just five, 56-51, courtesy of a Goloran basket. Perkins was big in the fourth, scoring nine of his 14 points in the final quarter to extend the Green Archer’s lead back to double digits. Almond Vosotros,who was playing with a sprained ankle, was instrumental in the fourth as well, as he hit the big shots down the stretch to give DLSU their second PCCL crown since 2008.

Final MVP Jeron Teng led the Green Archers with 16 points, four rebounds, and 5 assists. Vosotros didn’t let his sprained ankle bother him as he had 15 points on three three-pointers. Perkins came away with a big double double performance, scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, all while only missing one shot from the field.

Sanjo was one of the few bright spots for SWU as he came up with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Tallo came made up with 15 points and eight assists but needed 19 shots to score. Doloran and Monber Arong were the only other Cobras in double figures as they finished with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Despite facing to imports, the Green Archers dominated the boards, leading SWU by 11, 43-34. DLSU also had three blocks to the Cobra’s lone block but SWU dished out more assists 14-12. It was a physical game as both teams committed a total of 38 fouls, with both teams going to the line 33 times.

The Scores:

DLSU (70) – Teng 16, Vosotros 15, Perkins 14, Reyes 7, Bolick 5, van Opstal 4, N. Torres 4, T. Torres 3, Tampus 2, Montalbo 0, Salem 0.

SWU (61) – Sanjo 16, Tallo 15, Goloran 12, Arong 10, Mohammed 3, Holper 3, Siewe 2, Bautista 0, Panerio 0, Bregondo 0.

Quarter scores: 19-13; 34-22; 53-42; 70-61.