10. The Green Archers take down the Soaring Falcons with their fresh lineup.
In the wake of the departure of back-to-back UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao, the DLSU Green Archers ushered in a new era as they reloaded their roster ahead of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Green-and-White, bannered by newly recruited players Mason Amos, Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, and Luis Pablo, grinded out a thrilling 60-58 victory over the AdU Soaring Falcons in their season-opening clash on September 20 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
9. Amos suffers an MCL injury as La Salle falls to 2-3 in standings.
Moving from one powerhouse program to another comes with immense pressure and expectations, and doing so amid the La Salle-Ateneo rivalry adds another layer entirely. UAAP standout Mason Amos understood that reality well. After a near 30-point comeback that still ended in a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of their rivals from Katipunan, the woes for the Lasallians only grew from this point forward. In the following match against the powerhouse NU Bulldogs, Amos went down as Gelo Santiago collided with his knee, tearing his MCL in the process. Later on, the Green-and-White found themselves on the receiving end of back-to-back losses in Round One.
8. Green-and-White secure overtime win against UE behind Cortez’s 26-point performance despite Baclaan injury.
Kean Baclaan’s UAAP Season 88 campaign was abruptly derailed after he went down in a chaotic collision with UE guard Wello Lingolingo, who was later ejected. He suffered an injury similar to the MCL tear that Mason Amos sustained in the game prior. The frightening sequence cast a shadow over what became a dramatic night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where the DLSU Green Archers narrowly escaped the UE Red Warriors, 111-110, despite an astounding performance from UE’s Precious Momowei, who poured in a game-high 42 points and hauled down 13 rebounds in the October 15 UAAP Season 88 overtime thriller.
7. Pablo’s heroics finish off Round One with a statement win against UP
As each chapter of the red-hot rivalry between DLSU and UP unfolds, storylines thicken, arenas fill, and stakes rise. For La Salle, this matchup meant more than ending Round One on a high note. It meant setting the tone; that they were a different team from the season prior. Still recovering from a bitter aftertaste from their last outing against each other in the UAAP, the relentless Green Archers successfully struck back with a notable 14-point team high performance from Luis Pablo in his homecoming. Undermanned but unshaken, the Team from Taft channeled their desperation into poise—and through sheer brotherhood, DLSU stunned the defending champions, 72-69.
6. Trailing by as much as 16, the Taft squad snapped its three-game losing streak after outlasting the Diliman team.
With their Final Four hopes hanging in the balance, the DLSU Green Archers snapped a three-game losing skid in emphatic fashion, staging a gutsy comeback to topple new-age rivals and defending champions UP Fighting Maroons, 87-82, on November 22, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Reeling from recent setbacks, La Salle found timely answers against a familiar Finals foe, leaning on Vhoris Marasigan’s composure and Mike Phillips’s interior presence to secure a crucial win that reignited their postseason push.
5. The “Cool Cub” answers the call in a historic conclusion to the Elimination Round.
Throughout a shaky, up-and-down campaign, the Archers found themselves locked in one of the most consequential races for the final Final Four berth. Standing in their way in the last match of the Elimination Round were none other than storied rivals Ateneo. It was inevitable, fitting even, setting the stage for another historic battle. Enter Jacob Cortez, a proven champion in the NCAA landscape long familiar with pressure. The “Cool Cub” delivered a game-high 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and the eventual clincher, as DLSU sent ADMU home with a 78–72 victory to book its Final Four slot. The moment had been building all season, and Cortez was ready to answer the call.
4. DLSU tame regular season titans NU, booking Finals trilogy against UP.
Facing their toughest obstacle yet, the DLSU Green Archers met the NU Bulldogs—the lone team they failed to defeat in the regular season—while staring down a twice-to-beat handicap in the Final Four. La Salle turned the tide in emphatic fashion, stunning the top-seeded Bulldogs, 87-77, behind Player of the Game EJ Gollena and a collective team effort. Jacob Cortez then finished the job in the do-or-die game, earning Player of the Game honors after erupting for a 29-point performance to lift the Green and White into the championship series, marking the first Finals appearance by a fourth seed since UAAP Season 82.
3. Luis Pablo anchors defense as La Salle snatches Game One from State U.
A drama-filled season saw narratives come and go, but the DLSU-UP saga refused to fade into memory. Not only did it endure the crushing waves that moved campaigns back and forth, but it also carried the weight of emotions and the unresolved tension of seasons past. The opening bout of the series unleashed former Maroon Luis Pablo’s clutch shot-blocking prowess in the closing minutes, Cortez’s consistent scoring, and a defensive stand that withstood Harold Alarcon’s 34-point explosion. The Taft-based squad edged the Diliman side, 74–70, to draw first blood in the Finals.
2. Phillips closes five-year UAAP career with explosive performance in Game Three.
Graduating Team Captain Mike Phillips punctuated his five-year UAAP journey with a Finals MVP performance, averaging 13.7 points and 13.3 rebounds to lead the Green-and-White’s season-long resurgence. He delivered the exclamation point in Game Three with a season-high 25-point outburst and 18 rebounds to power La Salle to its second UAAP championship in three years—both won at the expense of modern-day rivals UP.
1. DLSU avenge Season 87’s heartbreak with championship redemption
With a do-or-die matchup standing between DLSU and the sweet summit, the Archers authored a poetic conclusion to a turbulent Season 88 campaign, taking aim one last time in the season. Haunted by free-throw woes, key players’ injuries and suspensions, and a near series-clinching three-pointer that was inches away from sealing the deal in the previous game, La Salle carried the weight of adversity into the finale.
In the season’s biggest moment, the Green Archers delivered—edging out the defending champions in a nail-biting 80-72 victory. Through a season of uncertainty, the Lasallians leaned on faith, resilience, and brotherhood to bring the crown back to Taft against all odds.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s Sports Special 2026 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSSportsSpecial2026.
