Punching their ticket to the knockout stage, the DLSU Green Archers showcased their depth and prowess as they dispatched the Mapua Cardinals, 99-83, to close out their group stage campaign with back-to-back wins in the NSAC College Campus Basketball Tour earlier today, April 19, at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Mason Amos was an absolute force in the paint for the Taft-based squad, bulldozing his way to 18 points and 10 rebounds. Complementing the inside attack, Luis Pablo and Seven Gagate gave the extra offensive push, with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
On the other side of the court, Ivan Lazarte and Cyrus Cuenco paced the Mapua offense with 18 and 16 points, respectively, but the Cardinals ultimately succumbed to the Lasallian barrage.
Imposing the Taft system
In the absence of Head Coach Topex Robinson, the DLSU coaching staff were able to masterfully steer the Green Archers. After a brief 2-all deadlock in the opening minutes, the green shirts leaned heavily on their interior muscle. Pablo then set the tone with aggressive baseline drives and crucial offensive boards, seamlessly anchoring the paint alongside Amos and Jacob Cortez. Capitalizing on their size advantage, the Green-and-White unleashed a suffocating full-court press that completely rattled the Cardinals, forcing rushed possessions and a crucial backcourt violation. Despite being in foul trouble and entering the penalty early, La Salle maintained control as JC Macalalag provided a much-needed perimeter spark, draining a timely three-pointer to cap off a commanding first quarter for DLSU, 26-18.
The Lasallians carried their blistering pace into the second period, shifting into a disciplined zone defense that continually disrupted Mapua’s half-court sets. This stifling defensive anchor fueled a lethal transition game for the UAAP kings as Doy Dungo and Gagate orchestrated a flawless guard-to-big pick-and-roll clinic, punishing the interior defense and repeatedly sending Gagate to the charity stripe. Capitalizing on consecutive turnovers, La Salle launched a fast-break-heavy run punctuated by a Rhyle Melencio triple, widening the gap to double digits at 34-21. Although Cyrus Nitura and Froilan Reyes attempted to manufacture a response for Mapua, Pablo quickly shut the door with back-to-back tough layups and an imposing and-one conversion. Despite committing a few careless errors in the closing minute of the half, the Green Archers headed into the locker room firmly in the driver’s seat, 51-38.
Two-way battle
Heading into the third quarter, both teams butted heads and fought for interceptions. Russell Liwanag sparked the Mapua offense early, but Abadam quickly answered with a triple to reassert dominance for the Archers, 54-40. The competing sides continued to engage in a back-and-forth affair with Dungo converting on a Cortez steal-and-dime sequence, while Cuenco fired back-to-back triples to disrupt the Lasallian defensive flow.
Just as the Cardinals were starting to catch their stride on both ends, Gagate and Dungo cut their chances by launching back-to-back two-pointers, punctuated by a full-court pass from Cortez, 66-54. However, the Cardinals were able to mount a late push from the likes of Lazarte, F. Reyes, and Basti Reyes on the wings, yet the surge was met with a steady response from the Green-and-White, ignited by Amos as they held on to their control as the quarter came to a close, despite defensive miscues and foul trouble, 72-62.
DLSU continued to pile pressure on Mapua in the final period, as Amos picked up right where he left off and showcased his long-ranged touch to keep momentum firmly on their side, 77-62. From there, the Lasallians gradually pulled away, stringing together a 9-2 run to cement their cushion that was capped by Janti Miller’s 15-foot midrange jumper, 81-64. Despite two-way showings from the Mapuan side, La Salle remained composed as they set the tempo with free throws and efficient shooting. As the quarter wore on, the La Salle continued to capitalize on their rhythm and deep roster, giving reps to Marco Mayuga and Dominic Sarmiento, who hit consecutive triples to seal the game, 99-80. The DLSU Green Archers sealed their victory after sustaining a dominant lead through all four quarters, advancing to the round of 16, 99-83.
The Scores:
DLSU – Amos 18, Pablo 15, Gagate 12, Melencio 11, Macalalag 10, Abadam 9, Dungo 6, Miller 6, Cortez 4, Mayuga 3, Sarmiento 3, Gollena 2
Mapua – Lazarte 18, Cuenco 16, F. Reyes 12, S. Reyes 12, Nitura 9, Liwanag 7, Dungca 4, Gemao 3, Bernabe 2, Callangan 0, Mendoza 0, Palis 0, Ryan 0
Quarter Scores: 26-18, 51-38, 72-62, 99-83
