UP with a statement win over La Salle

The University of the Philippines sent shockwaves across Philippine basketball with a stunning 98-87 win over defending champions La Salle in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City.

UP head coach Bo Perasol actually had doubts coming into the ball game on how to beat the defending champions, until someone forwarded to him the tweet of one of his players, Jun Manzo, who said “walang imposible sa taong naniniwala,” he told in the press room after their victory.

Paul Desiderio finished the game with a new UAAP career of high 30 points, the most points scored by a UP player since 2003. Aside from composing that tweet, Manzo, also helped in the scoring department by tallying 17 points.

It was DLSU who started the game strong, taking of Ben Mbala firing threes everywhere. The Cameroon international scored a total of 16 points, including 4 made field goals from beyond the arc. But it was in the 2nd quarter where the UP made a run of their own and they went toe to toe with the Archers to take a 4-point lead after the 1st half, capped off by a Rob Ricafort transition layup just before the buzzer.

The fourth quarter saw UP make key baskets, started the quarter strong with a 10-3 blitz, utilizing contributions from key reserves Paolo Romero and Janjan Jaboneta to establish their biggest lead of the game at 11.

“This cannot be a means to step backwards. Cannot be too emotional win about this. It is just one win.” told by UP head coach Bo Perasol in the press room, recognizing the magnitude of the moment and looking at the upcoming schedule.

Ben Mbala finished the game with a career high too of 34 points making 4 out of 8 from the three-posint range.

Both UP and DLSU are now tied in the standings with 3-1 record. (c/o Kim Karlo Castro)