After falling short of back-to-back UAAP Men’s Basketball titles, a feat last achieved in the early 2000s, the DLSU Green Archers are hungry to bounce back and bring back the crown to Taft Avenue this upcoming season.
Despite the departure of core pieces from the Season 86 championship squad, such as Raven Gonzales, Josh David, CJ Austria, and most notably, two-time Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao, the Green-and-White have bolstered their roster with key additions. This reinforcement is headlined by Jacob Cortez, Kean Baclaan, Mason Amos, and Luis Pablo. With a deep pool of recruits, the Green Archers are poised for another strong playoff run in the upcoming season.
Road to redemption
The conclusion of Season 87 stings deeply—not just for the Lasallian faithful, but especially from the players who left their all on the hardwood. Now, their mindset is on taking their time to grow and improve as a team. Co-captain Mike Phillips echoed this sentiment as the championship core from Season 86 slimmed down, “We’re just taking everything one step at a time [and] working on our chemistry right now because we know, whatever work that we put in now [we] will really reap when it comes to season.”
Losing key pieces like Quiambao left a massive void for the Green Archers, missing out on the experience needed to mold a contending team. Phillips admits that an adjustment period was needed to integrate the newcomers, as they carry the responsibilities of departed players. The senior big man noted that it felt like playing with an entirely new team, but emphasized that the squad is committed to finding consistency in their culture, both on and off the court, “I think that happens off the court, [putting] a lot of focus on building relationships and really getting to know each other on a deep level.”
More than talent
Restoring the championship groove while building the lineup for a stronger future hinges on developing players who bring both fresh energy and the same relentless drive. Among the new faces is prized recruit and NCAA Juniors MVP Lebron Jhames Daep, who has quickly learned in the off-season what it truly means to be part of the La Salle system: a disciplined character and good work ethic. “Dapat coachable ka [para] mabilis kang makapag-adjust,” he states.
(You must be coachable so you can adjust quickly.)
After leading the Perpetual Help Junior Altas to a historic NCAA title in April 2025, Daep carries the mindset that the Archers need more than just skill and camaraderie to keep their game strong. He shares, “Ang pinakanatutuhan ko is kahit sobrang lakas namin, kayang-kaya kaming talunin ng kahit sinong team, kaya dapat stay grounded kami and ibibigay namin [ang] best namin sa bawat laro and ire-respect namin [ang] mga kalaban namin.”
(What I’ve learned most is that even though we are very strong, any team can beat us, so we have to stay grounded and give our best in every game and respect our opponents.)
Steering the ship
As the Green Archers continue to build chemistry, leadership figures in the team have never been more vital. With a roster full of fresh faces and high expectations, the responsibility falls on co-captains Phillips and Earl Abadam to guide this retooled squad through its growing pains.
For Phillips, now in his final year, leadership means more than rallying teammates or holding each other accountable. “[Earl and I] sat down before the season… and we [got] overwhelmed [with how] we wanted to fix all these things and try to lead,” he reflects. “We made a commitment—if we can lead the team towards our faith, toward Jesus, toward God, then a lot of things we’re trying to figure out will fix themselves,” Phillips expounds, citing the mindset that helped shape their championship squad in Season 86.
Meanwhile, Abadam is committed to embodying the Lasallian core values of faith, service, and communion. For him, being a leader means creating an environment of mutual respect and accountability coexisting with brotherhood. “We’re all able to gel so well together that we know we can push each other to be the best versions of ourselves… We know that we’re brothers. We know that after practice, ayan biruan na. But when it’s on the court, patayan. That’s how we get better.”
(We’re all able to gel so well together that we know we can push each other to be the best versions of ourselves… We know that we’re brothers. We know that after practice, we can joke around. But when it’s on the court, it’s time to get serious. That’s how we get better.)
As a firm believer in building habits through discipline, Abadam stresses that practice lays the foundation for long-term consistency. “We want to simulate game-like things in practice, so that when game time comes, it’s just like practice. That we’ve done it every day, that it is second nature.” He further expounds that every drill and rep during training helps in preparing themselves for each moment and to always stay in the present.
As Season 88 approaches, the La Salle team finds themselves balancing the influx of new talent with leadership rooted in faith, discipline, and experience. Driven by last season’s runner-up heartbreak and supplemented by a renewed culture and clearer purpose, the Green Archers set their sights on bringing the crown back to Taft. They return to action against the AdU Soaring Falcons on Saturday, September 20, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
