Mbala locks down Desiderio in DLSU rout of UP

FILE – Ben Mbala. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

In what became as one of the most lopsided games in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament, one odd matchup stood out.

As defending champion La Salle wrapped up University of the Philippines 85-62 Sunday at Filoil Flying V Centre, the matchup of the game was the hulking Ben Mbala against the rather diminutive Paul Desiderio.

And the reigning MVP had good reason for guarding the Fighting Maroons’ shooting guard.

Desiderio shot the lights out in the first encounter between the two teams scoring a career-high 30 points in a 98-87 UP victory, and Mbala was tasked to prove he’s La Salle’s best individual defender.

“I’m bigger than him, and I just have to stay in front of him and even if I get blown by I know I’m bigger and faster,” said Mbala, who had 27 points and 14 rebounds in his matchup against Desiderio.

“Well it’s part of basketball, you got to be able to adjust. They used me as a three then they used him as a four.”

And if Mbala was unsurprised in his defensive assignment, the same cannot be said for Desiderio.

Mbala stands at 6-foot-8 and is a good 230-pounder while Desiderio stands at a generous six feet and is very much lighter than the Green Archer.

“When he guarded me in the first quarter I was surprised because the guy in front of me was really big,” said Desiderio in Filipino. “And I felt awkward when he guarded me so I had no choice but to guard him in the second quarter.”

Desiderio obviously struggled against the bigger Mbala as he shot 2-of-13 from the floor in 31 minutes of play.

“La Salle had three bigs at a time and if we put Ibra [Ouattara] outside there’d be no rim protector so I had to get Ben.”