Green Archers crowned champions of PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup
The EcoOil — De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers emerged victorious in their title-deciding game against the Marinerong Pilipino Skippers, 91–78. The Green Archers fell short in Game 1, but secured Games 2 and 3 to complete the reverse-sweep and secure their first-ever D-League championship.
There were solid performances all-around on DLSU’s side, and Michael Phillips led the way for the Green Archers through his 15-point, 16-rebound double-double which earned him the Best Player of the Game nod. Mark Nonoy was a solid contributor off the bench with his three treys and 15 points, while Deschon Winston racked up 16 points of his own.
A pair of free throws by Winston opened the scoring in Araneta. The Aspirants’ Cup MVP, Juan Gómez de Liaño, was in foul trouble early as he picked up two fouls in just over a minute which impacted his defensive presence. The Green Archers were able to create and maintain the lead over the Skippers throughout the first quarter thanks to their fast-paced offense and good off-ball movement. A rare four-point play by Gómez de Liaño gave Marinerong Pilipino a huge boost near the end of the quarter, as the men from Taft entered the second up 25–19 over the Skippers. Winston and M. Phillips were the key factors in La Salle’s early success as the pair delivered on both offense and defense.
Marinerong Pilipino’s Gómez de Liaño hit a three-pointer early in the second period, but was quickly answered by back-to-back treys from DLSU’s Nonoy. The Green Archers continued their fast-paced offense in transition and extended their lead to 37–23 after Nonoy converted three free throws with 6:14 to go. The Skippers opted to use zone defense to combat La Salle’s inside scoring and brought their deficit down to six with four minutes left. Despite showing signs of life, Marinerong Pilipino struggled on both ends of the court and had no answer for EcoOil — DLSU’s all-around scoring and rebounding. A pair of free throws in the final minute gave M. Phillips a double-double in only the first half as La Salle entered the break with a massive 51–36 lead.
Things went from bad to worse for Marinerong Pilipino as Jollo Go, their best scorer throughout the competition, was ejected from the game early in the third after a tough foul on Ben Phillips. The Blue Shirts racked up a couple buckets behind Gómez de Liaño’s hot hand in third, which prevented the Green Archers from extending their lead any further. Most of Marinerong Pilipino’s efforts in the third canto were answered by DLSU, who remained calm and collected as they entered the deciding quarter comfortably up by 17, 74–57.
In the fourth frame, the Marinerong Pilipino had the chance to cut La Salle’s lead to 12, however Jeric James Pido missed three consecutive free throws and picked up a Flagrant 1 foul on Nonoy. Having already received a flagrant earlier in the game, Pido was forced to sit out the next five minutes which was a huge blow for the Skippers. Unrelenting, Gómez de Liaño hit back-to-back three pointers and Jan Malangit converted an and-one to bring Marinerong Pilipino within nine, down 68–77. In the final minutes of regulation, CJ Austria — who was silent for most of the game — scored six crucial points to keep La Salle’s lead in the double-digits. Ultimately, the Skippers’ fourth quarter resurgence was a bit too little, too late as the EcoOil — DLSU Green Archers took home the game 91–78, and their first-ever PBA D-League title in convincing fashion.
Box Scores:
DLSU — Winston 16, Nonoy 15, M. Phillips 15, Nelle 13, Austria 8, Manuel 7, Nwankwo 6, Quiambao 5, B. Phillips 5
Marinerong Pilipino — Gómez de Liaño 30, Nocum 18, Gamboa 12, Soberano 7, Manlangit 5, Pido 2, Cariño 2, Go 2
Quarterscores: 25–19, 51–36, 74–57, 91–78
