FilOil: Green Archers defeat gutsy Arellano, clinch preseason crown

Ten matches, ten victories. In each of those preseason games, the DLSU Green Archers overcame every challenge thrown at them by responding with the poise and pressure defense that had many crowning them as title contenders this early into the year.

Their tenth game in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup served as their toughest test, as a gutsy Arellano squad stayed with them through three quarters until the Green Archers pulled off an 86-74 victory that handed them the championship earlier today at the FilOil Arena in San Juan.

“It was a hard-fought game,” an elated DLSU head coach Aldin Ayo said afterwards. “It was a test of character for us.”

Ben Mbala came close to recording a triple-double with a monstrous stat line of 28 points, 26 rebounds, and eight blocks. Abu Tratter and Jeron Teng each added 13 points, with Tratter also grabbing 11 rebounds.

Jiovanni Jalalon of Arellano had a heroic performance after he finished with 32 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Kent Salado, the only other double-digit scorer for the Chiefs, also contributed 16 points and four rebounds.

La Salle clearly imposed its heft as they outrebounded the Chiefs, 62-38. Arellano mainly relied on its speed and managed to get nine steals as compared to four from the Green Archers. DLSU also committed 22 turnovers in the game versus the Chiefs’ tally of 18.

Slow start

Teng gave the Green Archers the first points of the game, but Arellano went on a 7-0 run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the first half. Mbala tried to snatch the lead from the Chiefs, but Jalalon, who made five three-pointers in the first quarter alone, kept his squad on top. Jalalon’s fifth three-pointer in the dying seconds of the opening quarter also gave AU a 26-21 lead over DLSU at quarter’s end.

Arellano tried to blow the game open in the early moments of the second quarter but Mbala continued to work his way around the paint. With his team down by 10, 38-28, the big man from Cameroon scored eight straight points to cut the deficit to two, 38-36, with 2:21 left before halftime. Jalalon extended the lead to six but a three-pointer from Andrei Caracut and a Teng free throw with 1.5 seconds left in the quarter brought the lead back to two, 42-40, at halftime.

Strong finish

The Green Archers and Chiefs were tied four times in the third period alone. With the game at 56-all, Tratter managed to split his free throws to give La Salle the lead in the final moments of the third quarter. DLSU managed to outscore Arellano by five, 21-16, in the third quarter. As a result, the Green Archers took a 61-58 lead going into the final frame of the game.

Behind its tenacious defense, La Salle managed to go on a 9-0 scoring run early in the fourth quarter as the Chiefs were held scoreless until the 5:48 mark. Teng gave the Green Archers their biggest lead of the game at 82-66 with a mid-range jumpshot. The veteran took over the closing stages of the game offensively to seal the victory and the title for the team from Taft.

Three Green Archers received awards prior to the tipoff of the title match. Teng, Tratter, and Mbala were named to the Mythical Five along with Jalalon and Salado, with Mbala also earning Defensive Player of the Tournament and MVP awards for his efforts in the preseason tournament.

“He just wants to win,” Ayo said of Mbala. “Kung anong order mo dito [kay Ben], gagawin [niya].”

“I’m not looking for points or blocks,” Mbala added. “I’m just looking to help the team.”

The Green Archers will have nearly four months to prepare for UAAP Season 79, with the opening of the league, which will be hosted by UST, set in September.