The first W: Green Archers pierce through UST
The De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers defeated the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 83–63, to notch their first win yesterday at the PhilSports Pasig Arena.
As this is their first face-off, the supporters of both squads were eager to watch the battle between the Yellow and Green side.
From the first quarter, the players were on their toes as they defended against Nic Cabañero, who exploded for 33 big points in their previous game. With Cabañero firing consecutive 3-pointers, Schonny Winston did not yield to the Tigers’ intimidation and instead raised the green flag as he flaunted his smooth three-pointers afterward. Kevin Quiambao was also on fire, leading the team to a double-digit lead with less than two minutes remaining, 25–14.
Come the second quarter, Taft-based team was able to display a smooth ball rotation and effective communication on the court. However, the Tigers slowly closed the gap, constantly converting layups and forcing missed shots from the Green Archers. UST were able to steal the lead, 33–32, but La Salle regained the lead back with the help of Winston’s three-pointers.
Coach Derick Pumaren, the head coach of the Green Archers, reminded the players during the halftime dugout not to be compliant with their leads as they needed to exert more effort and aggression in handling the ball. With this, tension built up at the España-based team’s side as they strived to bounceback at the third. A monster on the painted court, Adama Faye from the Growling Tigers served as a roadblock as he showcased his skills in scoring and securing the rebounds under the ring. Nevertheless, DLSU fired up their shots to negate Faye’s monstrous dunks.
Maintaining a 20-point lead throughout the fourth, both teams were hitting shots to the best of their abilities, with CJ Austria showing a powerful drive through the Tigers’ defense. Anfernee Estacio ended the game by holding on to the ball until the last second.
Evan Nelle wasn’t able to join today’s game due to sickness after their Monday practice. Rest assured, he would be playing against the Ateneo Blue Eagles this coming Sunday, 4:30 PM, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Box scores:
DLSU (83) — Winston 19, Austria 13, M. Phillips 11, Quiambao 11, Abadam 6, Estacio 6, B. Phillips 5, Nonoy 3, Blanco 3, Manuel 2, Nwanko 2, Cortex 2
UST (63) — Pangilinan 11, Cabanero 10, Manalang 10, Faye 10, Garing 6, Lazarte 5, Escubido 4, Mantua 3, Calimag 1, Laure 1
Quarterscores: 30–21, 47–40, 65–46, 83–63
