UAAP: La Salle draws first blood vs UP as Jacob Cortez delivers dagger triple

Jacob Cortez answered the call when he was needed most.

De La Salle University took down the University of the Philippines, 74–70, on Wednesday in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena, moving one step closer to another UAAP crown.

It was Cortez who delivered the dagger triple with 30 seconds left, ultimately sealing the La Salle victory.

Before that, however, La Salle had been playing catch-up with UP for almost the entire game.

The Fighting Maroons led 68–65 with 5:28 remaining before a Mike Phillips dunk ignited the Green Archers’ late rally.

Pablo then shone in the final stretch, tying the game at 68 before scoring again to give La Salle a 70–68 lead. He later came up with a crucial block on Harold Alarcon’s attempt at the basket, followed by another denial on Gerry Abadiano after Phillips split his free throws off a Gani Stevens foul.

It took UP more than four minutes to break their scoring drought, finally ending it with a Harold Alarcon basket with 48 seconds left.

From there, it was clutch time for Cortez, who knocked down the game-winning shot as Alarcon and Terrence Fortea missed their final attempts.

Cortez finished with 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while Doy Dungo stepped up with 15 points. Kean Baclaan added nine, and Phillips, Pablo, and Vhoris Marasigan chipped in seven points apiece.

The win spoiled Harold Alarcon’s 34-point explosion for UP.

Scores:

La Salle 74 – Cortez 21, Dungo 15, Baclaan 9, Phillips 7, Pablo 7, Marasigan 7, Macalalag 6, Abadam 2, Gollena 0, Amos 0, Nwankwo 0.      

UP 70 – Alarcon 34, Nnoruka 13, Abadiano 8, Torres 7, Fortea 5, Remogat 3, Belmonte 0, Stevens 0, Bayla 0, Yñiguez 0, Felicilda 0, Alter 0.      

Quarters: 25-24, 33-36, 53-58, 74-70

—GMA Integrated News