The La Salle Green Archers refused to fold in the final quarter under immense defensive pressure to dethrone the defending champion University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, pulling off an 80-72 victory in the 88th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball finals at the Araneta Coliseum.
“It’s the hardest to win, this championship. One of the keys for this win is that these guys helped each other a lot,” said La Salle coach Topex Robinson after the Archers won their 11th overall crown at the end of their best-of-three championship showdown.
The win also made La Salle just the second No. 4 seed in the Final Four era to claim the championship, following National University in Season 77 (2014).
The Green Archers, who considered themselves as underdogs to an experienced Fighting Maroons crew, drew 25 points and 18 rebounds from Finals MVP Fil-American Mike Phillips, who is on his final season with his team.
Despite starting the season with a disappointing 2-3 record and overcoming injuries to key players Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan, along with suspensions, the Green Archers thrived on adversity to win it all.
“Our adversities really strengthened our faith. This series is a journey worth remembering. We also have to honor and acknowledge UP for bringing out the best in us, but again, grateful and blessed to win another championship,” Robinson said.
The crucial Game 3 saw the Fighting Maroons briefly surge ahead, 67-64, after Noy Remogat sank a triple-and-one with 4:09 left, though he missed the ensuing free throw.
It was at this juncture that Vhoris Marasigan ignited the decisive run for the Green Archers.
Marasigan, who missed a late three-pointer in Game 2, hit a clutch mid-range jumper to restore La Salle’s lead, then extended it to 71-67 with an and-one layup with 2:15 remaining.
UP remained within a single possession at 73-72 after Remogat’s two free throws with 1:05 left, but La Salle showed the poise they had struggled to maintain throughout the season. In the final 1:04, injured stalwarts Baclaan and Amos went a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe to seal the victory.
The Fighting Maroons missed three straight scoring opportunities before JC Macalalag iced the game with a fastbreak layup with 31.4 seconds remaining, bringing the score to 76-69.
“Jesus brought us to rock bottom so he could show us that He is the rock. Jesus Christ is the one who saved us,” said Phillips. “I just wanted to give my heart out for La Salle.”
Phillips averaged 13.3 points and 13.7 rebounds across the trilogy, bouncing back impressively after modest performances in the first two games to earn the Finals MVP title.
In the previous games, De La Salle had taken Game 1, 74-70, before UP rebounded in Game 2, 66-63. To even reach the Finals, La Salle had clawed its way out of a 2-3 start to finish the eliminations at 8-6 and then toppled the top-seeded National University twice in the Final Four.
In the final box score, Amos contributed 11 points, four assists, three rebounds, and three blocks, while Marasigan added 10 points and two steals.
Game 1 hero Jacob Cortez chipped in nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals, mirroring his father Mike’s feat of winning a UAAP crown.
Earl Abadam and Baclaan tallied nine and eight points, respectively.
For the Fighting Maroons, Remogat led the charge with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Nigeria’s Francis Nnoruka posted 16 points, 15 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Torres chipped in 11 points as La Salle’s defense successfully contained Harold Alarcon, holding him to six points after his 34-point explosion in Game 1.
