The La Salle Green Archers took control of the board and got big help from season MVP Kevin Quiambao inside the paint to stop the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 76-75, in Game 2 on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Dominating the paint early allowed defending champion Green Archers to equalize their best-of-three finals series in the 87th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.
A big crowd of 17,112 watched as Mike Phillips stepped up for the heavily defended Quiambao, who topscored for 22 points and had nine rebounds during his 32 minutes on the floor.
Quiambao redeemed himself from a bad showing in Game 1, when he made 18 points, got limited to a point in the second half, as UP prevailed 73-65, last Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 6’8 “Phillips effectively came into the picture with his imposing presence inside the paint for Quiambao. He scored 18 points and a game-high 12 boards out of La Salle’s total of 45 rebounds.
UP, which missed the chance to claim the crown via a two-game sweep, logged 37 rebounds.
A layup from Phillips off a long pass from Quiambao in the last 1:06 proved to be the winning basket for La Salle.
After Phillips made his mark, both squads went scoreless in the remaining time, with each bungling four attempts at the free throw line, and the Fighting Maroons missing a triple.
“When we were down and out, KQ (Kevin Quiambao) just told everybody to not give up. I guess we just made the necessary stops in the endgame. This gave us an opportunity to connect from the outside. I don’t know what happened, I don’t know what transpired. But we’re just grateful that we got to see another day, and fight another game of championship,” said Green Archers coach Topex Robinson, now that La Salle and UP will slug it out for the last time in Game 3 on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
JD Cagulangan, Francis Lopez and Gerry Abadiano all led the Fighting Maroons with 16 points.
Abadiano could have scored more, but he bungled his three-point shot as time winded down.
A Green Archers now in fourth year, Phillips provided an outlet for Quiambao whenever he get bottled up in the shaded lanes by the stifling defensive net that UP put on him.
Behind 66-73, Quiambao unloaded two treys during a 10-2 run, before Phillips capped their rally with his inside play off Quiambao’s long heave.
Three triples from Cagulangan, the last at the 3.7-second mark, sent UP to a 62-54 edge at the end of the third.
The 6’8” Phillips finished the first half with 14 points, as La Salle hung onto the lead, 39-36, at halftime.
The Green Archers, with Phillips taking charge under the boards with rebounds, outrebounded UP at halftime, 27-18.
Raven Gonzales kept La Salle in front by three, with his driving shot in the last 33 seconds.
Phillips, who backed up Quiambao inside the paint, scored six of eight points during a 10-3 run which put the Green Archers ahead, 24-16, at the 1:18 mark of the first period.
Quiambao was crowned as a back-to-back season Most Valuable Player awardee.
He became the fourth Green Archer to earn such an honor, following legends Jun Limpot (Seasons 52-53), Mark Telan (Seasons 59-60), Don Allado (Seasons 61-62), and Ben Mbala (Seasons 79-80).
Other back-to-back honorees were University of the East’s Allan Caidic (Seasons 47-48), Ateneo’s Jun Reyes (Seasons 50-51), UST’s Dennis Espino (Seasons 56-57), Ateneo’s Rich Alvarez (Seasons 63-64), Far Eastern University’s Arwind Santos (Seasons 67-68), National U’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Seasons 74-75), and Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena (Seasons 77-78).
Quiambao averaged of 16.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 block per game, leading the league in statistical points with a total of 81.357 SPs.
Joining Quiambao in the Mythical Five is La Salle teammate Mike Phillips, who normed 12.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game with 74.929 SPs.
Also in the Mythical is first-time honorees JD Cagulangan of the University of the Philippines(69.167 SPs); Far Eastern University’s Mohamed Konateh (68.643 SPs); and University of Santo Tomas’ Nic Cabanero (61.000 SPs).
The scores:
DLSU (76) – Quiambao 22, Phillips 18, Gollena 9, Macalalag 9, Gonzales 8, Austria 5, David 3, Agunanne 2, Marasigan 0, Ramiro 0, Rubico 0.
UP (75) – Cagulangan 16, Lopez 16, Abadiano 16, Millora-Brown 11, Torres 5, Alarcon 5, Torculas 2, Ududo 2, Stevens 2, Felicilda 0, Bayla 0, Fortea 0.
Quarter scores: 28-22, 39-36, 54-62, 76-75.
