La Salle exacted vengeance on University Santo Tomas, 86-77, to string its third straight win and barge inside the Top 4 for the first time in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Green Archers rained it down on the Growling Tigers right out of the gates, racing to a 20-point lead before banking on last stand to avenge a 93-84 defeat in the first round and improve to 5-3.
La Salle, stuck outside the Final Four midway through the first round at 2-3 following the MCL injuries of Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan, thus forged a three-way logjam with their latest victims and title holder UP at second place.
JC Macalalag took his turn in stepping up big time, firing 18 points as the undermanned Green Archers moved to within striking distance of leader National University (6-2) in the suddenly tightrope race to the Top 2 plus a win-once bonus in the Final Four.
Jacob Cortez had 12 while Earl Abadam and Vhoris Marasigan, who starred in their morale-boosting 72-69 win over the Fighting Maroons to end the first round, scored 10 points each.
Team captain Mike Phillips settled for just six points but hauled down 13 rebounds and dished out six assists plus a steal and a block to steady the ship for the wards of coach Topex Robinson in their title redemption bid.
La Salle built a 48-28 separation on Phillips’ freebies late in the second quarter and not even UST’s uprising in the payoff period to as close as to so 79-73 after Collins Akowe’s bucket in the final minute proved enough.
Akowe, who feasted on the Green Archers with 20 points and 19 rebounds in their first-round encounter, was steady with 20 points and 14 rebounds but to no avail.
Gelo Crisostomo (15), Mark Llemit (13) and Nic Cabañero (12) also had their efforts wasted in the Growling Tigers’ second straight loss.
Earlier, Adamson dodged an upset ax from the winless and head coach-less University of the East, 56-53, to knock on the Final Four at 5-5 for a joint fifth-place with the skidding Ateneo.
Cedrick Manzano led the way with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for Adamson as UE (0-8) stayed winless in the second game without mentor Chris Gavina and ace guard Wello Lingolingo due to suspension for four and three games, respectively.
‘We should be happy kung nasaan kami, only because hindi pa kami patay. Buhay pa and our head is above water, ‘yon lang naman yung gusto mo ‘eh na you just want to have a chance to move forward. Today was not that nice, buti na lang nakakuha kami ng panalo,’ said Soaring Falcons mentor Nash Racela.
In women’s basketball, Cheska Apag (16) and Elaine Etang (12) connived as Adamson Adamson (3-5) smothered UE (0-8), 75-49.
The scores:
First Game
AdU 56 – Manzano 11, Anabo 8, Fransman 7, Erolon 7, Torres 5, Medina 5, A. Ronzone 3, Ojarikre 3, Cañete 3, Montebon 2, Demisana 2, C. Ronzone 0, Perez 0, Jaymalin 0, Barcelona 0, Tumaneng 0.
UE 53 – Abate 16, Momowei 15, Caoile 6, Lagat 6, Robles 4, Despi 2, Tañedo 2, Cabero 2, Rosete 0, Datumalim 0, Mulingtapang 0, Cruz-Dumont 0.
Quarterscores: 21-17, 36-28, 47-43, 56-53
Second Game
La Salle 86 – Macalalag 18, Cortez 12, Marasigan 10, Abadam 10, Daep 8, Gollena 8, Phillips 6, Dungo 5, Quines 5, Pablo 4, Nwankwo 0.
UST 77 – Akowe 20, Crisostomo 15, Llemit 13, Cabañero 12, Danting 5, Acido 4, Paranada 3, Padrigao 3, Calum 2, Buenaflor 0, Estacio 0.
Quarterscores: 24-17, 52-36, 64-51, 86-77