Injury-plagued La Salle defies odds, stuns UP in finals rematch to force 3-way tie 

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Injury-plagued La Salle defies odds, stuns UP in finals rematch to force 3-way tie 

DRIVE. Jacob Cortez in action for the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.

UAAP

Despite missing injured stars Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos, the La Salle Green Archers pull off a thrilling upset of defending champion UP Fighting Maroons to set up a three-way tie at third place at the end of the first round

MANILA, Philippines – No Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos, no problem for the La Salle Green Archers. 

Despite missing their injured stars, the Green Archers prevailed in a highly anticipated finals rematch over defending champion UP Fighting Maroons with a nail-biting 72-69 escape in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the packed Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, October 19. 

La Salle forward Vhoris Marasigan delivered the clutch go-ahead putback layup with 47.5 seconds remaining, while Mike Phillips settled the final score with a free throw as UP’s Chico Briones fell short on his potential game-tying trey in the dying seconds.

With the hard-earned victory, the shorthanded Green Archers forced a three-way tie with the Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the No. 3 spot with identical 4-3 records — behind surprise leaders NU (6-1) and UST (5-2).

“Yes, no Kean, no Mason, but also no excuses,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson as the Green Archers played their first game without both Baclaan and Amos, who are out with identical MCL injuries they sustained the past week.

“We know that we’re going to be up against the defending champions and it’s always going to be a test of character. We always talk about becoming better persons, better Archers, so it [was a] character game for us,” he added. 

Playing against his former school for the first time, ex-Fighting Maroons big man Luis Pablo proved to be the unlikely hero for the Green Archers, stepping up huge in the absence of Amos with a game-high 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. 

Phillips posted his usual numbers of 12 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Jacob Cortez and EJ Gollena also scored 12 points each for the Green Archers.

Like Pablo, Earl Abadam rose to the occasion for La Salle with 9 points, including the cold-blooded three-pointer plus the foul at the 1:12 mark of the fourth to tie things up at 69-all after Terrence Fortea knocked down a booming trey the possession prior. 

Abadam failed to complete the rare four-point play that would have put La Salle in the driver’s seat, but Marasigan converted on the go-ahead putback a few seconds later.

UP had two opportunities to tie the game at 71-all, but Gani Stevens and Francis Nnoruka failed to convert on their respective layups.

The Fighting Maroons had one final chance to potentially send the game into overtime, but Briones likewise missed on his game-tying attempt. 

Four players also scored in double figures for UP, with Harold Alarcon leading the charge with 13 points, along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals.

Gerry Abadiano, Nnoruka, and Terrence Fortea backed up Alarcon’s all-around performance with 12 points apiece. 

The Scores

La Salle 72 – Pablo 14, Cortez 12, Phillips 12, Gollena 12, Abadam 9, Marasigan 5, Dungo 4, Daep 2, Macalalag 1, Nwankwo 1.

UP 69 – Alarcon 13, Abadiano 12, Nnoruka 12, Fortea 12, Remogat 7, Stevens 4, Bayla 2, Torres 2, Belmonte 2, Alter 2, Palanca 1, Yniguez 0, Briones 0.

Quarters: 20-27, 46-41, 57-60, 72-69.

– Rappler.com

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