Closing out games appeared to be one of the concerns for the DLSU Green Archers in their 81-79 loss to UST last Sunday. Against the UE Red Warriors, however, La Salle showed that their composure is slowly coming up after clinching a 72-64 win earlier today at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
With the win, the Green Archers now hold a 5-4 win loss record, giving them solo third place in the standings. The Red Warriors, on the other hand, fall to seventh place ahead of Adamson with a 3-6 record.
![DLSU vs UE [] []](http://thelasallian.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/DLSU-vs-UE-.jpg)
Jeron Teng led La Salle with a game-high 20 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Thomas Torres added 15 points and five rebounds. Chris Javier and Emil Palma each had 14 points, with the latter also adding 12 rebounds in the loss.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair between both teams, with UE using a 4-0 start to take a 10-7 lead with 5:48 left in the first quarter. After a Javier jump shot increased the Red Warriors’ lead to five, 12-7, Teng, Torres, and rookie big man Larry Muyang spearheaded a 12-4 run capped off by a three-pointer from Torres to give DLSU a 19-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Edgar Charcos, Edison Batiller, and Palma orchestrated a 7-0 run that gave UE a 23-19 lead. Teng and Torres once again responded to UE’s run, as they both combined for 20 points in the quarter. The LSGH alumnus was instrumental in this quarter as he scored La Salle’s last seven points in the final minutes of the second quarter to give the Green Archers a double-digit lead at halftime, 41-30.
After halftime, UE scored eight straight points before Prince Rivero made one of two free throws to stop the Red Warrior run, leaving the Green Archers with a slim 42-38 lead. Javier’s tip in cut La Salle’s lead to one, 43-42, with 4:49 left in the third quarter but Rivero, Jason Perkins, and Muyang muscled their way into the paint to give the Green Archers a 55-50 lead at the end of the third quarter, with Muyang’s tip in during the quarter’s dying seconds giving DLSU more breathing room as they entered the final frame.
The fourth and final quarter once again saw UE make one final run at La Salle, but compared to their last game, the Green Archers were able to impose their will on their much smaller opponents.
Teng and Torres were the only double-digit scorers for DLSU, with Muyang finishing with nine points. He and Perkins manned the paint for the Green Archers, as they combined for 24 of DLSU’s 54 rebounds. Palma and Javier were also the only double-digit scorers for UE with Batiller, who finished with two points in the previous meeting with La Salle, had nine in today’s loss.
La Salle’s height advantage was seen on the boards as they took down 54 rebounds to UE’s 40. Once again however, the Green Archers surrendered 30 turnovers to UE, the fourth time since Season 77. DLSU went to the line 26 times and made 73 percent of their free throws while the Red Warriors made 12 of their 17 shots at the free throw line, good for 70 percent.
Up next for the Green Archers are the FEU Tamaraws, who as of press time are taking on the UP Fighting Maroons. La Salle and FEU will square off this Sunday, October 18, at 4 pm in the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores:
DLSU 72 – Teng 20, Torres 15, Muyang 9, Rivero 8, Torralba 8, Perkins 7, Sargent 3, Langston 2, Navarro 0
UE 64 – Palma 14, Javier 14, Batiller 9, P. Varilla 8, Manalang 6, Derige 6, Charcos 5, J. Varilla 2, De Leon 0, Abanto 0, Gonzales 0, Gagate 0, Yu 0, Penuela 0
Quarterscores: 19-16, 41-30, 55-50, 72-64
