Undermanned but undeterred, the DLSU Green Archers ended UP's four-game winning streak to cap round 1 of the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.
Digging deep and refusing to back down, the DLSU Green Archers pulled off a thrilling 72-69 victory over defending champions UP Fighting Maroons to close the first round of UAAP Season 88 on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With 47 seconds left in regulation, Vhoris Marasigan cleaned up an Earl Abadam miss and delivered a clutch putback, giving La Salle a 71-69 edge.
UP had multiple chances to tie the game, but Ghani Stevens and Francis Nnoruka could not convert on their late attempts for the Fighting Maroons.
A Mike Phillips split from the free-throw line extended the Green Archers’ cushion to 72-69, and Chicco Briones’ last-gasp attempt to force ovetime rimmed out as La Salle made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Luis Pablo led La Salle with 14 points, while Jacob Cortez, Philipps, and EJ Gollena each added 12 to power the now 4-3 Green Archers.
Harold Alarcon top-scored for UP with 14 points, but the Fighting Maroons’ four-game win streak came to an end and also dropped to 4-3.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.