Green Archers yield UAAP Season 85 opener to defending champions UP
The De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers surrender their UAAP Season 85 opener to the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 69–72, earlier today at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Evan Nelle kept La Salle’s hopes of winning with a clutch three-pointer in the dying moments of the game, cutting down UP’s lead to one, 69–70 . Coming out of the inbound, the Green Archers immediately fouled Carl Tamayo, who then clutched two crucial free throws to extend the lead, 69–72.
With only four seconds left, DLSU tried to take a field goal attempt, but UP’s fierce defense did not allow the Taft-based squad to take any attempts.
Carl Tamayo led the Fighting Maroons with a clutch performance and a monstrous double-double, putting up 18 points and 19 rebounds. He was supported by Terrence Fortea, who almost secured a double-double himself with 15 points and nine assists, as well as UAAP Season 84 Finals MVP Malick Diouf who put up nine points and 13 rebounds.
The first quarter was a close battle, with multiple lead changes and deadlocks as both teams consistently defended and scored well. Towards the end of the quarter, DLSU called a crucial timeout which gave them a 5–0 run, taking the lead at the end of the first, 17–16.
From the start of the second period, both teams struggled to take over the lead as both were playing exemplary defense and exchanging buckets. However, La Salle found their offensive rhythm through their press defense towards the end of the second canto, putting up an 11–0 run and extending their lead to 10. As the teams battled out the remaining seconds of the first half, it ended with an eight-point DLSU lead, 42–34.
Deschon Winston was scorching hot, tallying 18 points (8/9 FG) at the half. Michael Phillips assisted on the defensive end, with four points, nine rebounds and three blocks of his own.
Fresh from the halftime break, the Fighting Maroons immediately put up a 6–0 run, cutting the lead to two, 42–40, in the first minutes of the third. Because of this, the Green Archers decided to keep the pressure up by creating plays and intensifying their defensive presence.
Both squads battled their hearts out in the fourth period, where the Maroons managed to tie the game at 54, after an 8–0 run. DLSU refused to surrender their lead, so they fought back to gain the lead, 56–54, off Bright Nwankwo’s hustle. However, the Maroons refused to back down as UP fought to tie the game again at 57-all, eventually gaining their first taste of the lead since the second period, 59–57. The teams then exchanged buckets, with no lead greater than four in the remaining minutes of the fourth. Five straight points from rookie Kevin Quiambao pulled La Salle back in the game, 64–66. However, the tide turned as Carl Tamayo and the Maroons extended UP’s lead to six, 70–64.
In the end, the DLSU Green Archers failed to take first blood in the season opener against the defending champions, 69–72.
Winston paved the way for La Salle with 27 points and three steals, being the only Green Archer in double figures. Evan Nelle follows with nine points and five assists, along with Mark Nonoy and Michael Phillips scoring eight-apiece, where Phillips also grabbed a total of 20 rebounds and four blocks.
The DLSU Green Archers (0–1) will attempt to bounce back and find their first win against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers (1–0), on Wednesday, October 5, 4:30pm at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Boxscore:
DLSU 69 — Winston 27, Nelle 9, Nonoy 8, M. Phillips 8, Quiambao 5, Austria 4, Manuel 4, Nwankwo 2, Macalalag 2, B. Phillips 0.
UP 72 — Tamayo 18, Fortea 15, Diouf 9, Spencer 8, Lucero 7, Gonzales 7, Alarcon 5, Ramos 3, Torculas 0, Lina 0, Galinato 0, Calimag 0, Eusebio 0, Abadiano 0.
Quarter scores: 17–16, 42–34, 54–50, 69–72.
