MANILA – De La Salle University Green Archers kept its UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball Final Four hopes alive via a 77-72 win over the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Evan Nelle delivered season-high 25 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Raven Cortez and Negrense Mark Nonoy chipped in 13 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Green Archers.
The Green Archers ended the double-round elimination with a 7-7 win-loss slate to a tie with Adamson University Falcons, which suffered a 66-61 defeat to Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the nightcap.
The Green Archers and the Falcons are set to dispute the fourth and final semifinals seat in a do-or-die game on Sunday with the winner facing the No.1 ranked Blue Eagles in the Final Four.
The Growling Tigers were threatening an upset to close out its campaign after establishing a 69-60 lead on back-to-back three pointers by Royce Mantua early in the fourth quarter.
The Green Archers got a three-pointer from Nonoy, a three-point play from Nelle and a split free throw from Nonoy for a 69-all score before DLSU took a 71-69 edge on a conversion by JC Macalalag.
The Green Archers went on to pad the lead with Benjamin Phillips converting two free throws and Nelle adding five more points for a 77-70 advantage with five second left in the contest.
The Green Archers were short handed anew in the match with Michael Phillips and Kevin Quiambao both under the weather and Deschon Winston only inserted in the final three seconds of the game.
“It was a hard-fought ball game. We were missing players again and as I told the guys that it’s been a rough season for us,” said Green Archers head coach Derrick Pumaren. “The boys hung tough out there, it was a total team effort.”
Mantua had 17 points on five triples for UST, Nicael Cabanero got 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while RC Calimag had 10 markers as they ended the season with a 1-13 slate.
BOX SCORE:
DLSU 77 — Nelle 25, Cortez 13, Nonoy 10, Phillips 8, Macalalag 6, Austria 5, Estacio 3, Abadam 2, Buensalida 2, Manuel 2, Nwankwo 1, Winston 0.
UST 72 — Mantua 17, Cabanero 16, Calimag 10, Faye 9, Pangilinan 5, Manalang 4, Laure 4, Manaytay 4, Lazarte 3, Duremdes 0, Garing 0, Escobido 0.
Quarterscores: 21-27, 37-42, 55-59, 77-72./PN
