Archers’ aim: No. 9

La Salle’s Ben Mbala. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ben Mbala would rather downplay his role—a steady force inside—that has kept La Salle’s unbeaten run going.

But numbers don’t lie.  The 6-foot-7 Cameroonian has been the most consistent Green Archer on any given day.

The hulking center-power forward posted a season-best 20.7 points per game and placed second in rebounds (16.3) after the first round, figures that UP intends to limit when the Maroons face the Archers at 2 p.m. today in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“I’m just here to make the team play well,” said Mbala.  “Looking at all of those stats, it’s not really on my mind right now.”

“The individual stats will come if we play well. I’m happy as long as we’re winning,” he added.

Following their narrow victory over the Adamson Falcons, La Salle coach Aldin Ayo is quite aware of the things the Maroons—who also victimized the Falcons—are capable of doing.

“Against UP? It will not be easy,” said Ayo.  “The more we win, the harder it gets.  All teams are capable of pulling off an upset. We just have to continue working hard.”

Sporting a 3-6 record, the Maroons have won back-to-back games against Final Four contenders Ateneo and Adamson—a serious threat to the Archers’ spotless eight-game win slate.

“Our game against La Salle will be our toughest,”  said UP coach Bo Perasol.  “All I can say is we will give our best to continue our win streak.”

The daunting task of containing Mbala falls on Jerson Prado and Andrew Harris, who also have their hands full when pivotman Justine Baltazar, Jason Perkins and Abu Tratter join forces with Mbala.

In the other game, National U tries to arrest an alarming skid against University of Santo Tomas at 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs have lost their last three games—once against the Archers and twice opposite the Far Eastern U Tamaraws—while the Tigers are on a five-game slide.