La Salle’s Mike Phillips ends UAAP career with 2nd title, Finals MVP
Mike Phillips all smiles after helping La Salle win the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball title.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
LIVE: UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball Finals Game 3 – UP vs La Salle
MANILA, Philippines—Mike Phillips ended his UAAP career with La Salle not just as a two-time champion but also as a Finals MVP.
Phillips was hailed as the best player of the title series after flourishing in a pressure-packed Game 3 with 25 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field and 18 rebounds.
READ: UAAP Finals: La Salle gets back at UP to reclaim title
What a moment for La Salle.
The Green Archers delivered the school’s 11th men’s basketball championship. #UAAPFinals #UAAPSeason88 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/5BLJHBiRxX
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) December 17, 2025
“I never felt tired because I wasn’t just playing for myself, I played for something bigger,” Phillips said at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.
“We played for the people who came to the games, those who brought us letters.”
Phillips’ herculean effort in the title decider alone nearly matched his output in the first two games of the Finals.
His stellar performance also came timely with star guard Jacob Cortez struggling to get going. Cortez had just nine points on 3-of-11 shooting while turning the ball over four times.
READ: UAAP Finals: UP edges La Salle to force winner-take-all Game 3
The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 13.3 points and 13.7 rebounds in the Finals.
The 23-year-old Phillips, who also played a key role in La Salle’s championship run in Season 86, also hopes that the Green Archers’ title win despite being fourth seed and amid injuries serves as inspiration to many.
“We just wanted to give our best. Hopefully, we inspire people with the story that we have.”
