It’s DLSU vs UP for the second straight season in UAAP men's basketball after the Green Archers dominated the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Defending champion La Salle mauled Adamson, 70-55, to return to the championship stage in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
The top-seeded Green Archers used their win-once advantage to the hilt to shove off No. 4 Soaring Falcons from the picture and forge a finals rematch with University of the Philippines.
Earlier, the No. 2 Fighting Maroons dispatched third-ranked University of Santo Tomas, 78-69, in their own Final Four contest.
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DLSU, which also won both elimination round games against Adamson in blowout fashion, turned it up a notch in the second quarter, going on a 16-1 run to post a 19-point lead, 36-17, at halftime.
The Green Archers hardly broke a sweat after playing their first game since wrapping up their elims assignment in Nov. 13.
They led by as much as 27 points, 58-31, on a Raven Gonzales layup with 38 seconds left in the third canto.
Adamson made it interesting with an 11-0 run in the frame to get to within 13, 50-63, after a Cedrick Manzano and-one with less than four minutes left in the ball game.
But coach Topex Robinson called presumptive repeat Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips back to the court to finish the job.
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Kevin Quiambao, Mike Phillips lead La Salle's way
Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips during La Salle's UAAP Season 87 men's basketball Final Four joust with Adamson on Saturday, Nov. 30 | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
Quiambao finished with 14 points. He also had three rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks.
Phillips played an all-around game of eight points, eight rebounds, four assists, five steals and two blocks.
Royce Mantua was the top scorer for the Soaring Falcons with 14 points. Manzano added 13 markers in the losing effort.
La Salle and UP begin their best-of-three finals series on Sunday, December 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.