It’s not the kind of finish that everyone expected. Nonetheless, a win is a win.
Jeron Teng scored 15 points, including a go-ahead three-point play in the closing seconds as the De La Salle Green Archers bucked an endgame meltdown and escape with a 73-68 win over UP to open their UAAP Season 75 campaign.
With La Salle leading by 10 to start the fourth period, the Maroons slowly inched their way back in the contest and even took a 68-67 lead after a jumper by Alvin Padilla with less than a minute left in the match.
But the Teng, who scored 13 points in the second half, finished an and-one layup from the baseline to put the Archers on top 70-67 with 27.3 seconds left. In the succeeding play, Yutien Andrada made a key block off a Jett Manuel three-point attempt that all but sealed the win.
Norbert Torres top scored for La Salle with 16 points and added 14 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. LA Revilla kept the team steady in the backcourt, finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Torres and Revilla converted three free-throws in the waning moments to ice the game for La Salle.
After a shaky first half, the Archers pulled away midway in the third period as they erected a 15 point lead. The Maroons then caught fire to start the final period behind the torrid shooting of Mike Silungan. Two flagrant infractions by the Archers gave UP the momentum down the stretch as they cut down the lead to just one point with a little over two minutes left in the game.
La Salle shot 18 of 27 from the foul line and outrebounded the Maroons 52 to 44. UP was perfect from the charity stripe, hitting all 14 attempts.
The Archers will go for a 2-0 season start when they go up against the UE Red Warriors this coming Thursday.
Box Scores:
DLSU 73 – Torres 16, Teng 15, Revilla 15, Andrada 10, Dela Paz 9, Mendoza 6, Webb 2, Van Opstal 0, Paredes 0, Vosotros 0, Gotladera 0, Tallo 0, Maguera 0.
UP 68 – Silungan 18, Asilum 12, Lopez 10, Soyud 8, Padilla 7, Manuel 5, Ball 4, Romero 2, Hipolito 2, Wierzba 0, Montecastro 0, Gamboa 0, Gallarza 0.
Quarterscores: 17-16,35-29,56-46,73-68