In their Round 2 opener, the DLSU Green Archers returned to the win column in the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament, defeating the UE Red Warriors to end a two-game losing streak earlier today, October 21, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Mason Amos and JC Macalalag spearheaded the Green-and-White offense, tallying 17 and 14 points, respectively. Henry Agunanne also delivered a strong two-way performance, recording 13 points and three blocks on the defensive end.
Meanwhile, Toper Lagat paced the Red Warriors with 20 points and one assist, while Lance Sabroso chipped in with 18 points and two assists.
Staying ahead
The Green-and-White came out firing, with Agunanne and Joaquin Tovera spearheading an early offensive surge while the rest of the squad locked in defensively. Doy Dungo added a timely triple to extend La Salle’s lead to 17-7, forcing UE to call time. Despite Cole Cruz-Dumont’s perimeter shooting, the Taft-based squad sustained their momentum through key contributions off the bench, closing the first quarter with a 27-16 advantage.
UE looked to claw their way back in the second frame, drawing fouls to chip away at La Salle’s lead. Mo Tañedo broke through with the Red Warriors’ first field goal of the quarter, trimming the deficit to five, 27-22, and putting pressure on the Archers to respond. The Taft-based squad struggled to find its offensive rhythm early in the period, going without a field goal until the six-minute mark as UE gradually gained ground.
Refusing to lose control, the Green Archers answered with a defensive stand, as Agunanne and Tovera delivered timely blocks to disrupt UE’s rally. Amos then took charge offensively with a layup and a triple to restore La Salle’s double-digit cushion. Despite a late three-pointer from UE, Amos continuously delivered in the paint, finishing the half with nine points as Dungo added seven. Tañedo led the Red Warriors with 12 points, followed by Cruz-Dumont’s nine, but the Green-and-White held firm at 40-29 heading into the break.
Faltering grip
Entering the third quarter, the Green-and-White looked to protect a 42-29 cushion, but lackluster offense and sloppy passing quickly derailed their momentum. Macalalag provided a crucial offensive spark for the Green Archers, attacking the paint for back-to-back and-one plays. However, the Red Warriors capitalized on Lasallian errors to stay within striking distance. Lagat and Cruz-Dumont led the counterattack, exploiting transition opportunities to trim the deficit to seven, 57-50 entering the final quarter of regulation.
The Recto-based squad’s aggression carried over to the final frame, leaning on Lagat’s offense to mount a run that tied the game at 59-all. After consecutive La Salle turnovers, DJ Robles gave UE the lead, 63-61. Unfazed by the shifting tide, Pablo and Agunanne protected the paint, allowing Dungo to drain a momentum-shifting triple to reclaim the lead. As emotions and tensions ramped up in the final minutes of regulation, both squads’ big men were issued technical fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct. After Amos energized the Lasallian crowd following the foul, Agunanne’s slam dunk added fuel to the fire, propelling the lead to five, 71-66. Yet, UE refused to yield, attacking and getting stops, fighting to a 74-all deadlock and forcing overtime.
Unyielding resilience
Overtime devolved into a grueling battle of endurance, as Macalalag and Tovera set the tone in the first minute of the period with aggressive drives, giving the Green Archers a 78-74 lead. Lagat continued his hot streak, draining back-to-back three pointers to tie at 80-all. The physical toll of the game became apparent as Dungo cramped up, and Macalalag exited the game after absorbing a hit to the face. Stepping up in the clutch, Amos and Tovera spearheaded a nine to two run, extending the lead, 89-82.
Desperation crept in for the Red Warriors, culminating in a hard foul that forced Vhoris Marasigan to be helped off the court. Maintaining their composure, Mikey Cortez and Abadam secured crucial defensive stops and drained pressure-packed shots to secure the win, 97-88.
With the Lasallians escaping with a hard-fought win, Amos quickly acknowledged the erratic execution on the offensive end, “I know that we got 31 turnovers, so I think it’s unacceptable for any team”, the big man said, preaching for the need for the team to be more disciplined.
The grueling win, however, came at a physical cost. “We’re going to make sure that the players are taken care of. In fact, some of the players are going to the hospital, Jacob and Vhoris”, assistant coach Oliver Bunyi confirmed. This leaves DLSU with the task to adjust their rotation if needed, and prepare for the remainder of the games left in round two.
The DLSU Green Archers will recalibrate and seek to build on this tough victory as they prepare to take on the UST Growling Tigers on Sunday, October 25, at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The Scores:
DLSU 97 – Amos 17, Macalalag 14, Agunanne 13, Dungo 12, Tovera 11, Abadam 9, Pablo 6, J. Cortez 4, Gagate 4, Sardon 3, M. Cortez 2, Marasigan 2, Quines 0
UE 88 – Lagat 20, Sabroso 18, Tanedo 16, Cruz-Dumont 13, Robles 9, Jimenez 4, Vazquez 4, Ajani 2, Javier 2, Apostol 0, Dungca 0, Perez 0
Quarter Scores: 27-16, 40-29, 57-50, 74-all, 97-88