Down, crippled and all, La Salle braves on with vengeance on mind against Santo Tomas to revive its title redemption bid in the second round of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Green Archers march on to battle without Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan for the second straight game but brim with confidence to get payback on the Growling Tigers after their first-round defeat.
At 4-3, La Salle takes aim at Santo Tomas (5-2) in the game at 4:30 p.m. to forge a three-way tie at 5-3 with the idle and reigning champion University of the Philippines in the race for the coveted top two seeds that come a win-once bonus in the Final Four.
La Salle will have a morale-boosting 82-79 win over rival UP to ride on in an attempt to overturn a 93-84 first-round meltdown. The Green Archers, then with a full-force squad with Amos and Baclaan prior to their MCL injuries, wasted a 12-point lead in the second half.
Head coach Topex Robinson is hoping for a different result this time around, despite a crippled unit after Jacob Cortez and Mike Phillips proved their capability to still lead the charge against the Fighting Maroons.
‘We’re undermanned and we’re really being challenged. Yes, no Kean, no Mason, but also no excuses. We’re always going to come out on a test of character. There’s still a lot of games to be played,’ said Robinson. ‘So, this is not the end all be all of us. It’s just the end of the first round and there’s going to be a lot of games to be played.’