La Salle takes down UP to end 7-year UAAP title drought

All arrows point to Taft Avenue as the UAAP men's basketball crown returns to De La Salle University (DLSU) after seven years.

The Green Archers are the new kings of UAAP hoops as they took down top-seeded University of the Philippines, 73-69, on Wednesday in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 86 Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

La Salle entered the fourth quarter trailing by four points but held UP down to just 11 points in the final period to move into the lead and clinch the victory.

Things turned around for the Taft-based squad halfway in the fourth period as the Season 86 MVP Kevin Quiambao scored and claimed the lead, 68-67. Free throws from Quiambao in multiple points of the dying minutes of the game gave La Salle a 71-67 before Francis Lopez scored a layup to inch closer, 71-69.

Free throws again from Quiambao sealed the deal for the Green Archers.

Quiambao again stepped up for the Green Archers as he posted 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in the winner-take-all game. Evan Nelle added 12 points alongside six boards and seven assists.

Malick Diouf led UP with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

La Salle finished the elimination round at the second spot with an 11-3 card to earn a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the Final Four. The Taft-based squad needed just one game to dispatch National University in the semifinals, 97-73.

Carrying a nine-game winning streak, the green-and-white fell to the Fighting Maroons in Game 1 of the finals, 97-67. However, they bounced back and made their own rout of UP in Game 2, 82-60.

This is La Salle's 10th overall championship in UAAP men's basketball, with their last in 2016.

The scores:

DLSU 73 – Quiambao 24, Nelle 12, Policarpio 8, Nonoy 8, M. Phillips 5, Macalalag 5, Escandor 4, Austria 3, David 3, Cortez 1, Manuel 0, Nwankwo 0, B. Phillips 0, Abadam 0.

UP 69 – Diouf 21, Lopez 12, Alarcon 10, Cagulangan 8, Felicilda 5, Cansino 5, Torculas 4, Abadiano 2, Torres 2, Fortea 0, Pablo 0.

Quarterscores: 22-21, 39-43, 55-58, 73-69

—JMB, GMA Integrated News