UAAP: La Salle reclaims title from UP to cap trilogy

One tough team in Taft.

De La Salle University reclaimed the UAAP men’s basketball crown in Season 88 after defeating the University of the Philippines, 80-72, in Game 3 of the Finals on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Despite a season marked by adversity—including injuries to key players Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan—the Green Archers stayed alive after crucial second-round wins over UP and Ateneo de Manila University. La Salle then erased a twice-to-beat disadvantage against National University in the Final Four before beating UP for the second time in three Finals matchups to emerge on top of the UAAP once again.

La Salle started strong, building an early 32–23 lead in the second quarter before UP rallied to take a slim 41–40 advantage at halftime.

The two teams then had a neck-and-neck affair throughout the second half—until it was go-time.

Noy Remogat drilled a triple that energized the maroon-clad portion of the crowd of more than 24,000, but La Salle responded with an 8–0 run, capped by a Jacob Cortez split, to seize a 72–62 lead with 1:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Remogat knocked down free throws off a Vhoris Marasigan foul to trim the deficit, but Baclaan answered with his own freebies before a JC Macalalag layup pushed La Salle ahead, 76–69.

Reyland Torres gave the Fighting Maroons a glimmer of hope with 30 seconds left, but the outcome was already clear as Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan calmly sank their free throws to seal the victory.

Mike Phillips delivered a season-high 25 points, to go with 18 rebounds, one assist and one block, while Amos and Marasigan chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Cortez and Earl Abadam added nine points apiece.

For UP, Remogat finished with 21 points, while Francis Nnoruka and Torres scored 16 and 11, respectively.

In Game 1 of the Finals, Jacob Cortez delivered in the clutch, drilling the triple that sealed the victory for La Salle. UP answered in Game 2 behind Gerry Abadiano, who sparked a late rally to force a deciding game.

The championship marks La Salle’s 11th UAAP title since joining the league in 1986, adding to its crowns in 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2016, and 2023.

The last two seasons saw the same two schools battle it out in the finals with the Green Archers winning the crown in Season 86 and the Fighting Maroons taking it in Season 87.

READ MORE | UP vs La Salle: Revisiting their last two UAAP Finals battles

Scores:

La Salle 80 – Phillips 25, Amos 11, Marasigan 10, Cortez 9, Abadam 9, Baclaan 8, Macalalag 4, Pablo 4, Gollena 0.

UP 72 – Remogat 21, Nnoruka 16, Torres 11, Abadiano 7, Alarcon 6, Stevens 6, Bayla 3, Alter 2, Fortea 0, Belmonte 0, Yñiguez 0, Palanca 0.

Quarters: 19-16, 40-41, 58-59, 80-72.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News