The De La Salle Green Archers bucked 36 turnovers against the UE Red Warriors to come out on top and improve their record to 2-2 on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Jeron Teng finished with 18 points to lead the team while rookie Prince Rivero contributed eight, most of which came during the team’s fightback in the deciding quarter.
“They defended very well in the fourth,” Coach Juno Sauler said of his team after the match.
Teng had frequent visits to the line to help cut UE’s lead in the fourth, while a three-point play by Norbert Torres got his team within two in the later stages.
Moments later, Rivero converted an and-one play of his own to give La Salle its first taste of the lead, 56-54.
“Prince has been playing the 3 spot for us, but we played him at the four,” Sauler added about Rivero, who the coach trusted to replace Arnold Van Opstal after the latter fouled out in the final quarter.
On the succeeding play, Teng hit a layup to put the Green Archers up four.
The Red Warriors fought back and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds following a jump ball, but Sumang’s jumper clanked off the rim.
Norbert Torres also had an impressive outing with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Almond Vosotros had another troublesome evening, going 5-of-16 from the field, including 1-of-8 from downtown.
Jason Perkins was hounded with foul trouble and finished with only two points.
The scores:
DLSU (60) – Teng 18, N. Torres 14, Vosotros 12, Rivero 8, Van Opstal 5, Perkins 2, Tratter 1, Montalbo 0, Andrada 0, Bolick 0.
UE (58) – Sumang 16, Varilla 8, Mammie 8, Olayon 7, Galanza 5, Jumao-as 4, Alberto 4, Arafat 3, Javier 2, De Leon 1.
Quarterscores: 12-14; 26-28; 36-46; 60-58.