In their 100th clash in the history of the league, the DLSU Green Archers vanquished bitter rivals ADMU Blue Eagles, 83-76, to even their all-time standing at 50 wins each in Round 1 of the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament earlier tonight, October 7, at the SM Mall of Asia.
The Green-and-White backcourt duo of veteran JC Macalalag and rookie Joaquin Tovera lit up the floor in crucial moments, scoring 15 markers apiece. Jacob Cortez dropped a signature clutch performance, notching 12 points and five dimes.
For the Katipunan-based squad, Shawn Tuano notched 17 points and five steals. Captain Jared Bahay tallied 14 points, three boards, and three assists.
Watch the throne
The Mall of Asia Arena stood witness to a fiercely partisan sea of green and blue, as the crowd reflected the chaotic opening to the return of college basketball’s most iconic rivalry. Early free throw woes struck La Salle until Mason Amos and Macalalag treys sparked a run to inject life into the offense, 10-2, forcing Ateneo to call time. Immediately, Bahay and the Eagles re-engineered their strategy, pressing DLSU and firing quick perimeter shots as ADMU took a 15-13 lead. A quicker, more physical affair ensued, as fast breaks and freebies from Cortez and Tovera connected. But at the end of the first frame, the Katipunan side finished stronger, leading 24-21.
The physicality bled into the second, evident in a foul-filled first minute. Star Ateneo rookie Kieffer Alas finally made his mark with a contested three, 28-25. Toward the halfway mark, Tuano and Tovera set off their own high-octane showdown, with the latter draining foul shots to bring it to 34-32. Ateneo co-captain EJ Kapihe kept them afloat until the Archers shifted to exploiting ADMU’s foul trouble to stay within striking distance. Taut as a bowstring, the Lasallian faithful waited for the lead to go their way.
Flashy offense from rookies Tovera and Alas pushed the game further, but the Green-and-White’s anticipated moment came in the form of a long-range bomb from Abadam and a barrage from Seven Gagate to secure the first lead of the quarter, launching the audience into a frenzy with the defending champions up 45-40.
The takeover
Despite a five-point advantage heading into the second half, the Archers struggled to set the pace as they were riddled with sloppy passes that led to turnovers. Ateneo, meanwhile, capitalized on their rivals’ cold spell, as Bahay’s hot shooting capped off a 9-0 run while the green shirts went scoreless for two minutes, 52-45. Marasigan momentarily ended the drought, but the Blue Eagles found an answer back, igniting a back-and-forth affair. Blue-chip rookie Tovera was the catalyst that kept La Salle within the game, catching the opposition off guard with his drives and three-point scoring while the big men hustled for boards. Doy Dungo remained dangerous from deep as a corner three put DLSU within one, 62-61. With less than a minute left in the third period, both squads amped up their defensive pressure, hoping to carry the advantage heading into the fourth, but Tovera’s aggression gave the Taft-based squad the lead through free throws, 63-62.
The Lasallians further seized momentum in the final period as they put their rivals in a two-minute drought, while Cortez rallied the defending champions by relentlessly attacking the paint, 69-62. Macalalag followed with a corner triple to bring the game back to its initial largest lead, but Ateneo refused to waver as Bahay and Grayson Rogers ignited the squad with a 6-0 run to close within two, 72-70. However, La Salle’s complacency was short-lived as they forced their way to the line, with Macalalag initiating contact from a corner three and knocking down all free throws. With momentum swung in their favor, the Archers relied on their perimeter shooting to put the Eagles away. Former Atenean Amos was the first to launch a dagger to put the game at double digits with three minutes left, while Cortez added insult to injury by knocking another triple to give them their largest lead of the game of 11 points. Despite Tuano’s attempts to rally the Blue Eagles with consecutive baskets, the Green-and-White’s barrage was enough to equal their all-time standing, 83-76.
In an interview with The LaSallian, star guard Cortez’ performance mirrored how his sentiments revolved around leaving it all on the floor in every battle, especially in the heart of a historic La Salle-Ateneo rivalry. “It plays a huge part. I don’t really like to get the fans involved, but this is different. Ateneo and La Salle, I’ve been dreaming about this as a kid, just embracing that moment, because this will be my last year.”
For Green-and-White mentor Topex Robinson, the heightened atmosphere and novelty of the 100th rivalry battle is something he and the rest of the Archers welcome with grace and gratitude. “It’s really something that we could pass to future La Salle players and coaches; it’s always a surreal feeling being and playing in this crowd with so much love and respect for the game of basketball and the rivalry.”
Catching their stride with consecutive victories, the defending champions shift their attention to another Katipunan-based rival as they return to the same venue for a highly anticipated Finals rematch with the UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, October 11.
The Scores:
DLSU 83 – Macalalag 15, Tovera 15, Cortez 12, Dungo 10, Amos 6, Marasigan 6, Pablo 6, Agunanne 4, Gagate 4, Abadam 3, Sardon 0
ADMU 76 – Tuano 17, Bahay 14, Roberts 9, Rogers 9, Espinosa 8, Kapihe 6, Cainglet 6, Alas 5, Baruwa 2, Bongo 0, Leal 0, Urbina 0
Quarter Scores: 21-24, 45-43, 63-62, 83-76