La Salle clinches top seed, beats UP again

La Salle’s Mike Phillips, left, celebrates with his teammates during a win over UP in UAAP Season 87.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–La Salle secured the No. 1 seed by repeating over rival University of the Philippines, 77-66, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Guys were just ready to compete again [against] one of the best teams in college. We tried our best to be at par and try to compete against them. Credit goes to these guys for competing and not giving up on that second half,” said La Salle coach Topex Robinson, whose squad also beat UP by double-digits, 68-56, in their first-round encounter last month.

Article continues after this advertisement

Riding a nine-game winning streak, the Green Archers moved further away from the pack after rising to 12-1 behind reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips. Quiambao scored a team-high 15 points on top of five rebounds while Phillips had another double-double outing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

READ: UAAP: UP’s Millora-Brown misses La Salle game after grandpa’s death

“Coming into this game yung different mindset pero same approach pa rin. Di ako pwede magmukmok dun sa kung ano yung performance ko last game,” Quiambao said, referring to his offensive struggles in La Salle’s close win over Far Eastern University on Wednesday where he shot just 2-of-17 from the field and finished with eight points.

Article continues after this advertisement

“Then nandiyan yung teammates, management, yung coaching staff na lagi ako sinasabihan na tuloy mo lang, isa ka sa mga leaders dito so yung kind words nila talagang nabubuhayan ako and then go with the flow lang ako, di ko na iniisip kung ano yung magiging performance ko basta manalo kami this game,” he added.

Joshua David also shone with 12 points and seven rebounds to help extend the Archers’ dominance against the Fighting Maroons for the fourth consecutive time dating back to the Finals last season.

The blockbuster clash witnessed by 13,820 fans was neck-and-neck for three quarters before Quiambao, JC Macalalag and Joshua David took turns in giving La Salle to an 11-point cushion, 73-62, late in the final frame.

READ: UAAP: La Salle survives, deals big blow to FEU’s Final Four bid

The second-seeded Fighting Maroons dropped to 9-3 and suffered their first back-to-back losses this season after getting blown out by also-ran National University last week.

JD Cagulangan paced UP, who was without one-and-done big man Quentin Millora-Brown, with 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals while Jacob Bayla added 10 points.

The Green Archers wrap up their elimination round campaign against the Bulldogs on Wednesday at UST Quadricentennial Pavilion while the Fighting Maroons try to end the eliminations on a high note against the Tamaraws on Saturday and skidding No. 3 seed University of the East Red Warriors.