La Salle thumps FEU, sweeps its way to PCCL Finals

Ben Mbala FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion De La Salle booked a return trip to the finals after getting back at Far Eastern University, 74-61, in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Monday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Ben Mbala posted a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Green Archers, who swept the Elite Eight with a 4-0 record.

La Salle surged ahead in the third quarter with the Cameroonian Mbala taking charge — making an impact on both ends. He was lethal at the offensive end with his mid-range game going and seemed impossible to stop in the open court with his size and athleticism.

The 6-foot-7 recruit, who made name for himself while suiting up for Southwestern University in Cebu, helped La Salle establish a big lead in the second half. He scored on a nifty left-handed layup before swatting away FEU swingman Roger Pogoy’s drive at the other end to preserve a 60-46 buffer entering the fourth quarter.

Both teams were missing key players but La Salle hardly missed the likes of Arnold Van Opstal and Jason Perkins with its depth while FEU felt the absence of starting point guard Achie Iñigo and most especially the void left by its main man Mac Belo.

The Tamaraws couldn’t keep up with the Archers’ firepower in the second half and trailed by as much as 19 points in the final frame.

Iñigo and Belo played for the MJM M-Builders, an FEU-backed team, in the PBA D-League.

It also didn’t help the Tamaraws’ cause that Mike Tolomia didn’t get anything going for him all game long.

The win was also a redemption of sorts for the Green Archers, who got booted out by the Tamaraws in the Final Four of the 77th UAAP Season.

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