Norberto Torres of La Salle (light). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RODEL ROTONI
MANILA, Philippines — La Salle pulled away in the fourth quarter and dealt University of the Philippines another setback, 85-63, Saturday in the UAAP season 76 men’s basketball tournament.
The Green Archers broke loose from UP with a 14-0 blast connecting the third and fourth quarters, for a 68-56 lead, then held the Maroons to just seven markers the rest of the way.
“We shot better in the second half and UP missed the shots they were making in the first half,” said head coach Juno Sauler.
It was indeed an entirely different story in the first half when it was the winless Maroons who had the upperhand and even had a seven-point edge at the half.
But La Salle quickly tied the game at 46, before finding an opening to pull away for good in the final minute of the third.
“No real adjustments, I just told them to play harder and do a better job defensively in challenging the shots UP was making,” Sauler added.
Jason Perkins shot 19 points and hauled down 16 rebounds while Almond Vosotros and Norbert Torres each chipped in 16 markers.
La Salle raised its record to 6-4 while UP dropped further to 0-9 even with new coach Rey Madrid at the helm.
Henry Asilum had 18 points for the Maroons, all from downtown, but checked out of the game early with an ankle sprain.
The scores:
La Salle 85 — Perkins 19, Vosotros 16, Torres N. 16, Teng 12, Van Opstal 7, Revilla 6, Montalbo 5, Tampus 4, Torres 0, Salem 0.
UP 63 — Asilum 18, Soyud 11, Marata 11, Wong 6, Lao 6, Harris 4, Desiderio 4, Pascual 3, Suarez 0, Paras 0, Gingerich 0, Gallarza 0, Amar 0.
Quarters: 23-20, 35-42, 61-56, 85-63.
Originally posted at 4:18 p.m.