Manila: De La Salle University leaned heavily on the performance of Jacob Cortez to secure a 78-72 victory against Ateneo de Manila in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

According to Philippines News Agency, Cortez was instrumental with 20 points, while Mike Phillips contributed significantly with 13 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. The Green Archers concluded the elimination round with an 8-6 record. They tied with the UST Growling Tigers, but UST holds the tiebreaker and enters the semifinals as the No. 3 seed.

Cortez's crucial jumper over Waki Espina provided La Salle with a 76-72 lead with just 12.4 seconds left on the clock. Vhoris Marasigan added 12 points and three assists, while Luis Pablo and JC Macalalag scored nine and eight points, respectively. The team managed to cut a 47-58 deficit to 56-60 by the end of the third quarter.

Cortez remarked, 'For that shot (with 12.4 seconds left), I don't know. I've been doing that since I was a kid, counting down by yourself, and there's no better way to do it than in an Ateneo-La Salle crucial game.' He also contributed seven assists to the game.

La Salle is set to face No. 1 National University in a twice-to-beat semifinal, despite having lost twice to the Bulldogs in the eliminations. Meanwhile, UST will compete against No. 2 University of the Philippines in the other semifinal bracket.

La Salle head coach Topex Robinson shared his thoughts, saying, 'These are the times that I was dreaming of when I was young, watching Ateneo-La Salle games, and I always tell these guys that you're part of this moment right now, so make sure that you're gonna make lasting memories. During the first half, we were struggling because we were so over our emotions and we forgot to trust each other. Just give credit to these guys. They (Cortez and Phillips) really took care of us.'

In his final game with Ateneo, Dom Escobar delivered 18 points and four rebounds. Kymani Ladi added 13 points and seven rebounds, followed by Divine Adili with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Jared Bahay and Espina contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

La Salle's victory also led to the elimination of Far Eastern University, which had previously defeated UST, 81-79, in another game. The Tamaraws have now missed the Final Four for the fourth consecutive season.