Fighting Maroons give Green Archers first loss

THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons surprised the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers with a victory, 98-87, handing them their first loss in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament on September 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

DLSU’s Ben Mbala started the game with an outburst of three-pointers, scoring 16 of his 34 points, giving the Green Archers a nine-point lead to end the first quarter.

Paul Desiderio showed flashbacks of his last game against the Red Warriors providing another third quarter shooting barrage and scoring a season-high 30 points to bag a win for UP.

Manzo contributed 17 markers to Desiderio’s total, while Mbala’s double-double performance of 34 points and 16 rebounds fell short against the Fighting Maroons.

The DLSU Green Archers will next face the UST Growling Tigers on Saturday, September 30 at the Araneta Coliseum while the UP Fighting Maroons will face the FEU Tamaraws on Sunday, October 1, at the same venue.

Box scores:

DLSU 87 – Mbala 34, Caracut 15, River Ricci 12, Rivero Rasleigh 9, Malecio 5, Montalbo 5, Santillian 5, Paraiso 2, Tratter 0, Go 0.

UP 98 – Desiderio 30, Manzo 17, Gomez De Liano Juan 10, Gomez De Liano Javier 10, Lim 6, Quattara 6, Jaboneta 6, Dario 5, Romero 4, Ricafort 2, Prado 2, Harris 0, Vito 0, Lao 0.

Quarter Scores

27-18, 16-29, 22-19, 22-32