Kevin Quiambao and La Salle Green Archers beat the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
La Salle scored a repeat over University of the Philippines, 68-56, as they renewed their Finals rivalry in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Green Archers improved to a 6-1 standing to become the top seed to end the first round and handed the Fighting Maroons their first loss of the season.
Kevin Quiambao delivered 20 points and 10 rebounds for La Salle.
“We’re just very happy with how things turned out,” assistant coach Gian Nazario, speaking on behalf of coach Topex Robinson, said after the heated blockbuster matchup where the coaching staff of both teams were caught in a verbal exchange in the third quarter.
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball
“We knew it’s gonna be a grind out game, we know that it would be a game of runs and we were able to weather the storm. We all know what UP is capable of doing,” Nazario added.
Joshua David brought his weapons for La Salle, finishing with 14 points on a 5-of-8 shooting clip that went with seven rebounds.
La Salle Green Archers’ Joshua David during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UP Fighting Maroons. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“This is a good win for us, especially since it gives us momentum going into the second round. But if you look closely, we still made a lot of errors, so we need to correct those in the second round because we know that the second round is all about making adjustments. We need to be ready,” David said.
La Salle came prepared and immediately left UP in the dust with a 35-15 advantage, the biggest lead of the game, as early as the second quarter. With JD Cagulangan still unable to play for the second consecutive game, the fighting Maroons only sank seven out of 33 shots in the first half.
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But UP once again had a big third quarter, outscoring the defending champions 21-13, to stay in the game with Harold Alarcon leading the way with 19 points–12 from that third frame–five rebounds and three steals.
Terrence Fortea drained a triple and two free throws, his only points, to bring UP 55-51, before a 7-0 run by the Archers courtesy of EJ Gollena, David and JC Macalalag.
WATCH: La Salle assistant coach Gian Nazario, Kevin Quiambao, and Josh David after beating UP. #UAAPSeason87 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/fZsqLuBpgn
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Quiambao and David drained two triples for good measure even as Alarcon continued scoring.
With its first loss, UP dropped to the second spot with an identical 6-1 record after being the top team for the most of the first round.
Quentin Millora-Brown was efficient on the way to a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort for the Fighting Maroons.