FilOil: Green Archers shoot true anew, down EAC Generals

The De La Salle University Green Archers continued to stay on target for a perfect preseason campaign, after shooting down the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 91-63, on Friday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Archers put together a big enough lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Generals 26-14. The Taft-based squad then led by as much as 28 in the blowout, never trailing after getting the better of their foes in the first two minutes of the ball game.

“There were some stretches where we looked good, there were stretches where we looked like we could work on our game," said DLSU coach Abanilla.

Newcomer Jason Perkins led four Green Archers who scored in double-figures with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Perkins made eight of his 12 shots (67 percent), while converting both his attempts from three-point land.

“Jason is a very versatile player”, said Coach Abanilla of his big man. “He can shoot it inside, he can shoot it outside. It’s a matter of letting him adjust to the style of play here."

Perkins however was quick to share the praise, saying, “Our guards did a really good job of getting the ball down low.”

The teams find themselves on opposite ends of the standings, as La Salle holds an immaculate record with five wins and zero losses, while EAC continues to sputter with no wins and five losses. La Salle can edge Ateneo to gain sole control of the top spot by winning their next three games, including a match against their arch-rivals, while EAC can still get a 3-5 card at the tourney's end.

Jeron Teng scored 11, Norbert Torres added 10 points and 10 caroms,  while Jarelan Tampus chimed in with 10 markers.

Coach Gee Abanilla started Jason Perkins, Norbert Torres, Thomas Torres, Gabby Reyes, and Jeron Teng, while EAC mentor Gerry Esplana fielded Noube Happi, Jolas Paguia, Nikki Monteclaro, Igee King, and Francis Munsayac.

The Archers started the game with the pedal to the metal, scoring nine straight points, seven coming from Perkins, forcing coach Esplana to call a timeout. The brief reprieve did not stop the bleeding as Teng was able to bank in a lay-up with Happi on his heels. Happi finally scored the first basket for EAC after a lay-in, three minutes into the game.

Off a Jan Jamon inbounds error, Perkins was able to steal a possession inside, making 13-2. Happi scored their next two points off a jumper, but Teng countered with three straight markers off a post play and a split, 16-4. DLSU shooting guard Luigi De La Paz scored on a fast break, which Jamon countered with a triple, 18-6. Perkins scored another triple, which was neutralized by a long-range jumper from Jack Arquero, but EAC still lagged behind, 20-10.

Jamon made another basket to put DLSU’s lead at single digits, 20-12. He added a triple after a split by Green Archer Papot Paredes at the foul line, but four straight points from Jarelan Tampus and Rob Bolick gave DLSU a sizable 26-15 lead after the first quarter.

La Salle maintained their double-digit lead for most of the quarter, as Van Opstal made a foul-and-one opportunity after a split by Jamon to up the lead to 14 points, 29-15. Munsayac nailed a short jumper which Tampus countered with one of his own. Onwubere made two free throws, but Bolick hit from deep, 34-19. On the ensuing possession, Van Opstal drew a foul while completing a two-handed slam, which added to La Salle's lead, 37-20.

Free throws by forward Sidney Onwubere and a stab by EAC center Gigi Manga cut the DLSU advantage to 37-23. A triple and two free throws by Jamon capped a 9-0 run, before Aiki Herrera split his charities, to end DLSU's silence. Francis Munsayac nailed a short jumper to keep the lead at eight, 38-30, but the Archers kept going inside, to make it 42-30.

Happi banked another hook which Teng quelled with a post move of his own, 44-32. A split by Happi and a jumper by Paguia from the right elbow allowed EAC to cut again into the lead at 44-36, but a basket by Torres off a drive-and-dish from Teng made it 46-35. Munsayac banked the ball off a defensive lapse by the DLSU defense, only for a split by Teng to keep the difference in double-figures, 47-37, entering halftime.


After the intermission, the Archers regained the same energy they had in the opening quarter of the game, as after Happi and Norbert Torres traded baskets inside, DLSU exploded for a 14-0 run. Happi momentarily stopped the bleeding by splitting his free throws 63-40, but Bolick had an answer, drawing a foul from Arquero to a split of his own. Arguero and Manga made four straight points to cut the lead to 20, 64-44.

Following free throws by Van Opstal and Mejos at 66-45, Tampus and Arquero were handed warnings for second motions. Arquero made most of the heated moment to produce four points from the free throw line, 66-49, and a split by Onwubere closed out the third quarter, though DLSU still led 66-50.

Bolick widened the lead in the fourth by hitting a triple, 69-50. Onwubere made both his free throws, but Perkins hit a three to up the lead to 20 points, 72-52. After a split by Mejos, Onwubere was called for a foul off the ball, sending him out of the ball game with five whistles.

A split by Arquero cut it to 18 again, but a stab by Perkins brought it back to 20. The Generals would fight to keep the lead at 20 for most of the game, until La Salle pulled away after lay-ins by both Perkins and Teng, 80-56. DLSU then pulled Perkins, Torres, and Van Opstal, opting to play Herrera, Martin Reyes, and a three-guard combo of Bolick, Montalbo, and Thomas Torres, as the coaching staff used the opportunity to test some roster combinations.

The Generals went cold as La Salle’s defense continued to pester their offense. EAC played most of their third-stringers, along with Munsayac and Happi, but to no avail. La Salle went on an 8-2 run to close out the game, giving them their highest lead at 91-63.

EAC made only 20 of their 71 attempts (28 percent) while converting just three of their 18 attempts from downtown, with Jamon responsible for making all three. They missed 13 of their 33 attempts from the stripe. and scored only four second-chance points and nine turnover points.

The Archers are still without center-forward Yutien Andrada and guard Almond Vosotros, who are both sidelined due to injury.

The Chiefs continue their preseason campaign on Wednesday, May 22, at 4:15pm against the up-and-down San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags, while the Green Archers get to aim for a better record, against UAAP foes University of the East Red Warriors on Saturday, May 25 at 4pm.

On facing the Red Warriors, Perkins was asked about facing off against Charles Mammie, to which he said, “Is that the big guy? I guess I have to go to the weight room this week”. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

DLSU – Perkins 20, Teng 11, N. Torres 10, Tampus 10, Montalbo 9, Bolick 9, Van Opstal 8, Herrera 7, Paredes 3, T. Torres 2, Dela Paz 2, G. Reyes 0, M. Reyes 0

EAC – Happi 14, Jamon 14, Arquero 9, Munsayac 6, Manga 6, Onwubere 5, Paguia 4, Santos 3, Mejos 2, King 0, Monteclaro 0, Saludo 0

Quarter scoring: 26-14, 47-37, 66-50, 91-63