Determined to avenge their opening-day loss, the DLSU Green Archers dictated the pace and dismantled the San Beda Red Lions, 78-61, to secure the bronze medal in the NSAC College Basketball Campus Tour earlier today, May 31, at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Janti Miller spearheaded the unrelenting Lasallian offense, punishing his former team with a team-high 18 points, along with three rebounds. Mason Amos and Luis Pablo provided a steady stream of firepower with 11 and nine markers, respectively, to help the Lasallians command the game right from the opening tip.
Despite the blowout loss, Lawrence Hawkins and Dan Marcelo paced the Red Lions with 12 and nine points, respectively.
A statement of redemption
The Green Archers immediately imposed their will against the Red Lions to open the battle for third. An adjusted starting lineup featuring Pablo paid instant dividends, anchoring a suffocating interior defense that forced early Bedan turnovers. Capitalizing on these extra possessions, JC Macalalag and Amos caught fire from the perimeter to spark an early lead. Miller then took over, punishing his former team with a quick 6-0 personal run to mount a blistering 14-3 Lasallian start and force a San Beda timeout. Though the Taft-based squad temporarily stalled due to unforced errors from overeager transition plays, Mo Kulang dominated the offensive glass with crucial putbacks to maintain a 22-13 cushion heading into the second frame.
La Salle sustained their defensive intensity to open the second quarter, highlighted by EJ Gollena drawing a shooting foul and slashing to the basket for consecutive trips to the charity stripe, 26-13. However, offensive dry spells and a failure to secure defensive rebounds opened the door for Red Lions RC Calimag and Aldous Torculas to briefly trim the deficit. Recognizing the momentum shift, the Lasallians leaned on their own second-chance opportunities, with Seven Gagate converting an easy inside look. Jacob Cortez then found his rhythm, dissecting the paint to restore a double-digit advantage, 32-19. As the half neared its close, unnecessary fouls plagued the Green Archers, placing San Beda in the penalty and allowing them to chip away at the lead through free throws. Unfazed by the mounting lapses, Miller swished home another triple to enter double figures. Following a crucial timeout to address their rebounding woes, DLSU secured a final defensive stop to enter the locker room with a commanding 39-27 lead.
Cruise control
The Lasallians seized complete control in the third quarter, opening with an explosive 7-0 run fueled by a corner triple from Macalalag and consecutive inside baskets from Pablo to stretch the cushion to 19, 46-27. Backed by their inside presence to disrupt the Bedan offense, La Salle consistently found quality looks through sharp ball movement, with Cibull orchestrating the offense to find Amos and Lebron Daep for easy conversations. The returning Vhoris Marasigan had an improved showing in the second game of their two-game weekend, providing a major spark through his shot creation both from deep and the interior. Meanwhile, the Red Lions endured lengthy scoring droughts on two separate stretches, only finding luck through JC Bonzalida’s threes. Hawkins would attempt to inject life into the NCAA champions’ offense by generating through free throws and transition points, but the Taft-based squad maintained firm control behind balanced scoring to carry a commanding 63-46 advantage into the final period.
The red shirts’ hopes of a comeback in the fourth quarter were quickly answered by the UAAP champions, who continued to dictate the pace through Pablo’s inside presence. The big man converted on an and-one, while Miller maintained his production to push the Green-and-White lead to 72-51. Despite the massive deficit, the Red Lions rallied behind fastbreak baskets as La Salle experimented with their rotation and momentarily struggled offensively, with Torculas drilling a three-pointer to cut the Archers’ advantage to 12, 72-60. La Salle, however, regained control through Kulang’s basket in the paint and defensive mobility before Beda could further capitalize. As the game progressed into its twilight zone, Miller stepped up to bury a dagger triple, effectively icing the clash. The Green-and-White comfortably closed out the contest with a 78-61 victory, clinching the tournament’s bronze medal.
As the Green Archers conclude their NSAC campaign on a high note, they will look to further enhance their cohesion through the remainder of the preseason, aiming to defend their crown in UAAP Season 89.
The Scores:
DLSU 78 – Miller 18, Pablo 11, Amos 9, Kulang 7, Marasigan 7, Daep 6, Macalalag 6, Cortez 4, Gollena 4, Gagate 2, Melencio 2, Quines 2, Abadam 0, Cibull 0, Dungo 0, Sarmiento 0, Sharma 0
San Beda 61 – Hawkins 12, Bonzalida 9, Marcelo 9, Calimag 7, Torculas 7, Etulle 4, Jamora 4, Dabao 3, Estacio 3, Jalbuena 2, Lina 1, Culdora 0, Efron 0, Medroso 0, Songcuya 0, Vailoces 0
Quarter Scores: 22-13, 39-27, 63-46, 78-61