MANILA – De La Salle University banked on Jacob Cortez’s triple to beat University of the Philippines, 74-70, Wednesday in Game 1 of the UAAP men’s basketball finals at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The No. 4 seed Green Archers will try to wrap up the best-of-three series on Sunday at the same venue.
De La Salle defeated UP, 72-69, in the first round, and 87-82 in the second round.
“Knowing that this is gonna be something that is an emotionally-packed game, we’re just fortunate and blessed that we were able to sustain the onslaught of Harold Alarcon, he really took over. We just didn’t stop when UP was making those big runs,” La Salle coach Topex Robinson said.
Alarcon scored on a layup to put the Fighting Maroons within 70-71, 46.5 seconds remaining.
Cortez, coming off the bench, fired a three-pointer in front of Reyland Torres with 27.4 seconds left, giving the Green Archers a 74-70 advantage.
“I just like to give credit to Kean and Doy. Doy stayed ready … Kean did a good job playing off the bench for me. I’m just so proud of them,” Cortez, who finished with 21 points, said.
Doy Dungo had 15 points, followed by Kean Baclaan with nine points and six assists, Mike Phillips with seven points and nine rebounds, and Luis Pablo with seven points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.
Alarcon scored a career-best 34 points — the most by any player in a finals since Ateneo’s Thirdy Ravena tallied 38 in the title-clinching 99-81 win over UP on Dec. 5, 2018.
Meanwhile, National University Nazareth School defeated FEU-Diliman, 82-72, to rule the inaugural boys’ U16 division.
Malian center Moussa Diakite, Jaypee Yanga, and David Sabareza displayed their awesome forms for the Bullpups, who also won the demonstration event in Season 86.
“This is really good because it was our sacrifice. I was left behind for China, for Korea, just to prepare for this U16. The result was okay. Even though they always leave me, as long as we win the championship,” NUNS coach Leo Pujante said.
“Next season will be a real challenge for us because Moussa is gone, but we will still try to defend the crown. We will not let it be taken away from us.”
Sabareza finished with 17 points, six assists, three rebounds, and three steals. He was named finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).
“Maybe for me, being the [finals] MVP, it wasn’t just for me because I wasn’t the only one who worked on the court. We all worked to get this championship and we helped each other on the court,” he said.
Diakite chipped in 21 points, 17 rebounds, five blocks, four assists, and three steals; Yanga had 20 points and six rebounds; and Dean Tria added 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals for NUNS, which won the opener, 79-49.
Prince Cariño delivered 19 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists, Dwayne Cañete contributed 10 points, three assists and three steals, while Andrei Chavez and Dwyne Enriquez had nine and eight points, respectively. (PNA)
