MANILA, Philippines -- Streak busters.
The La Salle Green Archers have snapped the five-game winning streak of the University of the East Red Warriors, 77-68, to grab their fourth consecutive victory in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
La Salle thus bounced back from a surprising first-round loss to UE – its only defeat thus far this season – to go up to solo first with a 7-1 win-loss record.
Mike Phillips flexed his might inside with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal for the defending champions. Kevin Quiambao and JC Macalalag had 10 markers apiece.
The two teams were kept in a toe-to-toe matchup through three quarters, before the Green Archers broke the game wide open late in the third.
After a Jack Cruz-Dumont layup that pushed UE to a 52-51 lead with 3:52 remaining in the third, La Salle ended the quarter with a 12-3 run capped by a buzzer-beating putback by Vhoris Marasigan to take a 63-54 advantage.
This put the momentum firmly on the side of the Taft-based cagers, as the Red Warriors tried to inch closer in the fourth.
The lead grew to 11, 68-57, with less than seven minutes remaining after a jumper by Kevin Quiambao.
John Abate and Precious Momowei, though, went down swinging as they teamed up to cut the lead to five, 63-68.
La Salle, though, would keep the Red Warriors at bay thanks to timely shots by Joshua David, Phillips, Quiambao and Vhoris Marasigan to regain a 10-point lead, 77-67.
Momowei led UE with 21 points and nine rebounds, to go with two blocks and two steals. Abate added 11.
“The players really fought well. They know the experience of losing to UE. We just rekindled tha and reminded them that it will take a lot of effort to really beat this well-coached team. Credit to Coach Jack,” Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson said.
The Red Warriors are still in solo third with a 5-3 win-loss record, a whole game ahead of fourth-seeded University of Santo Tomas.
La Salle will try to keep rolling against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, while UE will try to bounce back against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws on Sunday. Both games will be at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.