With no Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos for the remainder of UAAP Season 88, undermanned La Salle nonetheless rises again to top-dog standing at a No. 2 tie with UP after routing hapless UE
MANILA, Philippines – It may be bizarre to say a championship crew “defied the chances,” however that’s the unusual state of affairs La Salle finds itself in because the UAAP Season 88 males’s basketball elimination spherical heads towards its previous few video games earlier than the Remaining 4.
As soon as holding a bleak outlook after shedding high stars Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos to related season-ending MCL tears, the unwavering Inexperienced Archers at the moment are again at second place with a 6-3 file after outgunning the hapless UE Crimson Warriors, 84-72, on the Mall of Asia Enviornment on Wednesday, October 29.
Technically holding the tiebreak at No. 2 after beating UP on the finish of the primary spherical, La Salle despatched UE tumbling to its fifteenth straight loss relationship again to final season and accomplished an elimination-round sweep this yr of their first assembly since their extremely controversial first-round additional time conflict.
With this newest setback, the Crimson Warriors now stand on the point of elimination with a 0-9 card, on their own within the backside and three video games behind seventh-placer FEU at 3-6.
Rising huge man Luis Pablo led the momentum-boosting win for the Archers, tallying a team-high 16 factors on a near-perfect 8-of-9 clip from the sphere, plus a smattering of seven rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in slightly below 23 minutes of motion.
MVP frontrunner and captain Mike Phillips, as all the time, performed to his typical lofty commonplace, churning out a 14-point, 12-board double-double, plus 2 dimes, 2 swipes and 1 rejection in below 27 minutes, whereas star guard Jacob Cortez supported the trigger with 12 factors, 5 assists and three rebounds.
Down simply 9 factors coming into the fourth quarter, 59-50, UE once more noticed the underside fall out at a vital time, identical to a number of video games previous, as La Salle powered forward with a game-clinching 16-5 run, erecting a 20-point benefit, 75-55, off a Cortez three with round six minutes left in regulation.
Although the Crimson Warriors mounted a 15-2 response within the subsequent three minutes to get again inside single digits, 77-70, their offensive nicely dried up sooner than they might have favored, because the Inexperienced Archers held the fort late and performed the free-throw sport to douse any opposing momentum and seal the deal.
Valuable Momowei as soon as once more led the shedding trigger with 20 factors, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, and a pair of blocks — nonetheless enormous numbers regardless of being nowhere shut the historic 42-point volley he lobbed La Salle’s approach in UE’s eventual 111-110 first-round additional time loss.
John Abate additionally scored 20 with 7 boards, 3 dimes, and three swipes, because the Crimson Warriors proceed to sorely miss the contributions of their suspended leaders: gunner Wello Lingolingo and fiery head coach Chris Gavina.
The Scores
La Salle 84 – Pablo 16, Phillips 14, Cortez 12, Dungo 9, Macalalag 8, Gollena 8, Marasigan 6, Abadam 4, Gomez 3, Daep 2, Quines 2, Nwankwo 0, Dagdag 0, Melencio 0.
UE 72 – Abate 20, Momowei 20, Cruz-Dumont 8, Robles 7, Despi 6, Caoile 4, Lagat 3, Datumalim 2, Cabero 2, Jimenez 0, Tañedo 0, Mulingtapang 0, Malaga 0.
Quarters: 25-19, 43-36, 59-50, 84-72.
– Rappler.com
