UAAP: Green Archers topple UP, 72-69, to end Round One with straight wins

The DLSU Green Archers survived a heart-stopping final quarter as they locked down the UP Fighting Maroons to single digits in the final frame to escape with a 72-69 win, ultimately closing Round One of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament with back-to-back triumphs earlier tonight, October 19, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Leading the charge for the Green-and-White was Luis Pablo, who delivered a breakout performance with 14 points, six rebounds, and one assist in the matchup against his former team. Also instrumental in breaking deadlock after deadlock were Jacob Cortez, Mike Phillips, and EJ Gollena, who provided 12 points each.

Commanding the court for the gritty UP Fighting Maroons was Harold Alarcon, who unleashed 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in the highly contested match. Providing additional firepower were double-digit scorers Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, and Francis Nnoruka, who also recorded 12 points apiece.

Rollercoaster half

Heading into the battle, the DLSU Green Archers came in massively depleted with two of their key players sidelined by devastating injuries. With the UP Fighting Maroons riding a four-game win streak, they were not going to make things easy for La Salle. It took a while before the first basket was recorded, with a composed Abadiano opening the scoring for UP with an easy finish, 2-0. However, the Taft-based squad remained determined, responding with a fiery 6-0 blitz behind consecutive baskets from Pablo, capped off by a slick jumper from Cortez that gave them their biggest lead of the game, 12-5. UP later erupted for a 12-0 run to snatch the lead as they found their rhythm and caught fire beyond the arc with Abadiano and Alarcon knocking down back-to-back triples, 20-15. Pablo tried to stop the bleeding with a strong finish off a Vhoris Marasigan feed, then headed to the line but struggled to capitalize, marking the final play for the Green Archers that saw their seven-point advantage slip into a seven-point deficit at the end of the first quarter, 27-20.

UP’s defensive anchor Nnoruka made things difficult for the Green Archers in the opening frame by limiting their chances inside the paint, and continued to do so early in the second. La Salle went scoreless for nearly two minutes before Phillips finally broke through, cleaning up his own miss for an inside bucket to cut the lead to 27-22. The Green Archers managed to chip away with a few points off UP’s numerous fouls along with occasional makes from Cortez and Phillips, closing the gap to 29-27. However, the Diliman-based squad proved their might by holding the lead for over six minutes in the second quarter, anchored by a three-pointer and a strong drive to the rim from Alarcon that widened the gap to 36-29. DLSU refused to back down, completely turning things around in the final minutes of the first half by mounting a late scoring surge. Gollena sparked the rally with a finish under the basket before Cortez took over, weaving through the defense and regaining control of a nearly lost ball to convert a tough drive that ended the stalemate and gave La Salle a 43-41 lead. Gollena then went back to finish what he started, capping off the Green Archers’ 10-0 run with a fastbreak in the final seconds, sending them ahead at halftime, 46-41.

The whole shebang

Both teams seemingly became more timid as the third quarter opened. Nnoruka quickly cut into La Salle’s lead from the previous half with a floater, 46-43. However, turnovers plagued UP, while the Lasallians failed to capitalize their chances fully. This kept the game to a minimal score of 49-47, even with Gollena’s triple and offensive facility. The back-and-forth continued as Pablo began leaving his trace, enduring the walls of Iskos to deliver a bucket to make it 53-49. In response, Terrence Fortea began staging his famous sequential triples that brought the game to 57-all, withstanding the Phillips-Pablo defensive brace. While the Lasallians forced multiple late-quarter turnovers, it was none other than Fortea’s dagger three that closed the period in UP’s lead, 60-57.

The final quarter ignited the big dome with another deep three from Fortea, 63-57, while DLSU struggled with early fouls and turnovers. Marasigan broke La Salle’s silence with a layup, followed by a gritty exchange that saw Dungo and Pablo combine to equalize at 63-all. Pablo’s tireless work on the boards and a free throw gave the green shirts a slim 64-63 edge before Stevens’ charity shots tied it again to 64-all. Intense defensive pressure from both sides kept the scoring low and tensions high. A dramatic scuffle involving Pablo, Fortea, and Alarcon resulted in blood on Pablo’s face and Gollena stepping in. Stevens ended the deadlock with a key basket, and though Fortea kept firing from deep, La Salle’s vindication tightened. Fortea buried another three-point dagger, only for Abadam to tie things again at 69-all. With under a minute left, Marasigan floated one in for a 71-69 lead. Despite intense pressure and multiple stoppages, UP couldn’t convert on their final possession; Briones missed a last-second three after Phillips splits a pair of free throws, with the Lasallians ultimately surviving the defending champions’ late surge, 72-69.

After enduring a reality-shaking first round, Head Coach Topex Robinson remained elated about the Archers’ chances in the season and simply called their recent set of challenges a test of their character, stating “No Kean [Baclaan], no Mason [Amos], but also no excuses.” Despite headlining the victory, Pablo steered clear of discussing his honors and instead gave tribute to his injured brothers: “We owe it to Kean and Mason. Their hearts and spirit are always with us.” As the win revives the team’s hopes while they await their round two schedule, Robinson expressed his firm conviction that Baclaan and Amos will return to play, and together, La Salle will conquer all: “The only way to have them back is to make it all the way.”

The Scores:

DLSU 72 – Pablo 14, Cortez 12, Phillips 12, Gollena 12, Abadam 9, Marasigan 5, Dungo 4, Daep 2, Nwanko 1, Macalalag 1

UP 69 – Alarcon 13, Fortea 12, Abadiano 12, Nnoruka 12, Remogat 7, Stevens 4, Belmonte 2, Torres 2, Alter 2, Bayla 2, Palanca 1, Yniguez 0, Briones 0
Quarter Scores: 20-27, 46-41, 57-60, 72-69