Pasay city: De La Salle University banked on Jacob Cortez's triple to beat University of the Philippines, 74-70, Wednesday in Game 1 of the UAAP men's basketball finals at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The No. 4 seed Green Archers will try to wrap up the best-of-three series on Sunday at the same venue.
According to Philippines News Agency, De La Salle defeated UP, 72-69, in the first round and 87-82 in the second round. La Salle coach Topex Robinson expressed gratitude for the team's ability to withstand the challenge posed by Harold Alarcon, who made significant plays for UP. Alarcon scored on a layup to bring UP within 70-71 with 46.5 seconds remaining.
Cortez, coming off the bench, fired a crucial three-pointer in front of Reyland Torres with 27.4 seconds left, securing a 74-70 advantage for the Green Archers. Cortez finished the game with 21 points and credited teammates Kean and Doy for their contributions.
Doy Dungo had 15 points, Kean Baclaan added nine points and six assists, Mike Phillips contributed seven points and nine rebounds, and Luis Pablo recorded seven points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.
Alarcon led UP with a career-best 34 points, the most by any player in a finals since Ateneo's Thirdy Ravena in 2018. Meanwhile, National University Nazareth School (NUNS) triumphed over FEU-Diliman, 82-72, in the inaugural boys' U16 division.
Malian center Moussa Diakite, Jaypee Yanga, and David Sabareza played pivotal roles for NUNS. Coach Leo Pujante expressed satisfaction with the team's performance despite sacrifices made during the season. Sabareza, named finals Most Valuable Player, emphasized the collective effort in securing the championship.
Diakite contributed 21 points, 17 rebounds, five blocks, four assists, and three steals. Yanga added 20 points and six rebounds, while Dean Tria scored 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals for NUNS, which won the opener, 79-49.
Prince Cari±o delivered 19 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists, with Dwayne Ca±ete contributing 10 points, three assists, and three steals. Andrei Chavez and Dwyne Enriquez added nine and eight points, respectively.
