DLSU reclaims UAAP crown

FROM near elimination to rising as the UAAP champion once again.

Fourth-seeded De La Salle University (DLSU) essayed a sweet swan song to an epic run from a near exit, braving in a bloody climb to topple the mighty University of the Philippines (UP) in the sudden-death Game 3, 80-72, and reclaim the throne in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball finals before 24,339 fans on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The DLSU Green Archers were disarmed by injuries, misfired multiple times, got hit and fell down to their knees bleeding for a Final Four seat in the homestretch but rose from the ashes against every adversity and regained accuracy of their bows and arrows when it mattered most behind a strong finishing kick in the last two minutes to get back at the UP Fighting Maroons in thrilling fashion once again.

It’s the second title in the last three seasons for La Salle for its 11^th crown overall, becoming only the second No. 4 seed in history to rule the country’s premier collegiate league after the Troy Rosario-National University (NU) squad did it first in 2014 against Far Eastern University.

“It’s the hardest title to win for the past three years,” said coach Topex Robinson in tears as La Salle went up 2-1 in head-to-head title series against UP and master tactician Goldwin Monteverde in what is boiling as the UAAP’s new dynastic rivalry in the years to come.

“All glory to God. Our adversities really strengthened our faith. Sometimes, we ask ourselves if we deserve it but because of our faith, this journey is really worth remembering. We’re grateful and blessed to win another championship.”

Marching on at the frontlines of La Salle’s tough stand was team captain Mike Phillips, hauling down 25 points and 18 rebounds in his final game donning the green jersey as a UAAP champion once more. Mr. Phillips poured 18 of his output in the first half where La Salle set the pace, 32-23, before saving its best for last after UP’s uprising.

Unlike in the previous games though with Jacob Cortez carrying the majority of the scoring load, it took a village for the Green Archers this time around led by Vhoris Marasigan in a sweet vindication after his potential title-clinching trey in the last 3.8 seconds of Game 2 went in and out that dragged the series to a winner-take-all. Mason Amos added 11, Mr. Cortez and Earl Abadam had nine points each while Kean Baclaan chipped in eight points.

Mr. Marasigan scored 10 points, including a personal 5-0 spurt capped by an and-one layup to give La Salle a 71-67 lead in the last 2:15 mark, snatching the momentum from the Fighting Maroons after a booming triple of Rey Remogat for a 67-64 cushion to snap a back-and-forth duel marked by 16 lead changes.

And it became a coronation ride from there on — a far cry imagination a month ago when La Salle was on the brink of a disappointing elimination — as La Salle secured stops one after another while maximizing free throws before JC Macalalag put on the cherry on top with a fastbreak layup from a looseball scramble in the last 31 seconds, 76-69.

Not even a Reyland Torres’ last heave to push UP to within 72-76 in the last 28 seconds mattered as Mr. Amos took care of his freebies to seal the Green Archers’ glory from fighting for dear life way out of the Final Four.

La Salle’s steady finish, even at the jaws of a stinging 63-60 defeat in Game 2, proved as a testament to its character and resilience all season long — amid a 2-3 start, a costly three-game losing skid at the homestretch to stare and the injuries of  Mr. Baclaan and Mr. Amos.

That capped its sixth win in the last seven games, unpacking its bags from a near early vacation amid a 6-6 record at fifth place before sweeping the last two do-or-die elims games to catch the last semis bus — including a 78-72 triumph against long-time rival Ateneo in a virtual knockout showdown.

What followed was a rain of arrows on the top-ranked NU Bulldogs’ crib, erasing their twice-to-beat incentive before a 74-70 escape act over the Fighting Maroons in Game 1 of a trilogy that would reach the distance for the third straight year.

And when the smoke cleared in the war that drew over 60,000 fans in three battles, the UAAP title found itself back in Taft — after all and against every odds throughout one of the greatest runs in league history.

Mr. Remogat (21), Francis Nnoruka (16) and Reyland Torres (11) stood their ground but usual aces Gerry Abadiano and Harold Alarcon misfired for seven and six points, respectively, as UP — in five straight finals appearances — bled for a bridesmaid finish for the third time with two titles to show. UP’s first two finals were against the previous UAAP dynasty Ateneo before sharing the throne in the last three seasons with the re-emerging La Salle crew. — John Bryan Ulanday