La Salle snaps losing skid with OT escape vs. UE

De La Salle University snapped a two-game skid after mounting a huge comeback to beat University of the East, 111-110, in overtime in the first round of UAAP Season 88 on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Jacob Cortez scored 26 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead the Green Archers to the win, their third in six games this season. He also had five assists and four steals.

Mike Phillips posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Earl Abadam also chipped in with 18 markers. Kean Baclaan, who spearheaded their comeback, finished with 17 before leaving the game with an injury.

UE, despite a massive 42-point, 13-rebound effort from Precious Momowei, remained winless at 0-6.

La Salle trailed by as many as 21 points in the second half of the contest, but mounted a furious comeback to eventually go to the extra period.

UE started off red-hot, thanks to Welo Lingolingo, who erupted for 15 points in the first period, including three three-pointers and a couple of free throws off three-point attempts. With him leading the way, the Red Warriors were able to build a 10-point lead, 33-23 at the end of one.

Momowei and John Abate then took over in the second period as the pair combined for all but seven of UE’s 27 points to keep control of the game, heading into halftime with a 60-48 lead. 

Momowei already had 19 points in the first half while Phillips was the bright spot for DLSU, logging 14 points and eight rebounds in the first two periods.

UE extended the lead in the third quarter behind more outside sniping from Lingolingo and Abate. Back-to-back baskets by Momowei made it an 18-point game, 72-54, before Abate knocked down another triple as the lead broached the 20-point barrier, making it a 75-54 advantage at the 6:27 mark of the period.

But La Salle came back firing as they mounted a 9-0 run — seven of those from Baclaan — to cut the lead back down to 12, 75-63. Another late run, this time six unanswered points from Earl Abadam, Luis Pablo, and Vhoris Marasigan, allowed the Green Archers to get the lead back down to single-digits, 80-72, before entering the fourth still down eight, 82-74.

Momowei did his best to keep UE afloat in the fourth, scoring the first seven of the Red Warriors’ points in the quarter.

La Salle, meanwhile, continued to come back even amid an injury to Baclaan, who had to be stretchered off the floor after contact with Lingolingo late in regulation.

Kean Baclaan stretchered off the court after what happened @gmasportsph pic.twitter.com/08ntghhEDl

— JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) October 15, 2025

The Green Archers were able to bring the lead down to three points, setting the stage for a Cortez takeover down the stretch. Cortez scored 10 points in the last 3:08 remaining of regulation, including a booming triple that put DLSU up by five, 98-93, late.

But Momowei came up huge with two clutch baskets, including the one that sent the game into an extra period with just six seconds to go. Prior to that, Abate also knocked down a free throw.

In overtime, UE scored the first six points to take a 104-98 advantage but La Salle again battled back until Cortez knocked down two from the charity stripe to put La Salle back in the driver’s seat, 108-107, with about a minute remaining.

Cortez then followed that up with a clutch turnaround jumper that made it 110-107 for DLSU, with 23.3 left on the clock.

Abate finished with 25 points while Lingolingo chipped in with 24 to support Momowei's huge effort, though it was not enough in this game as the three players combined for 91 of the Red Warriors' 110 points in the game.

The scores:
La Salle 111 - Cortez 26, Phillips 18, Abadam 18, Baclaan 17, Pablo 8, Marasigan 8, Macalalag 4, Nwankwo 4, Gollena 4, Daep 3, Dungo 1, Melencio 0.

UE 110 - Momowei 42, Abate 25, Lingolingo 24, Caoile 6, Mulngtapang 4, Tanedo 4, Datumalim 3, Robles 2, Malaga 0, Lagat 0, Cabero 0.

Quarters: 23-33, 48-60, 74-82, 98-98, 111-110 (OT).

—JMB, GMA Integrated News