It was the ultimate game of nerves, a climax worthy of the “cardiac” tag that La Salle games have carried like a badge all season long.
With the Green Archers down to their last few arrows, having misfired for much of the contest, Kevin Quiambao—a man who is born clutch and the freshly-crowned Season 87 MVP crown on his head—rose to the biggest of moments.
KQ turned into God-mode and drained back-to-back triples, each a dagger to UP’s hopes, flipping a precarious deficit into a razor-thin 74-73 lead with 1:29 left on the clock.
And on cue, Quintin Millora-Brown answered for UP with a point-blank bucket to snatch the lead right back. But Quiambao wasn’t going to go gently into the night—he dished out a no-look dime to “Motor” Mike Phillips, whose game-clinching finish gave La Salle a 76-75 edge with just 1:12 remaining.
The tension in the air? Unbearable.
Francis “Lebron” Lopez, who had been the hero for UP all series long, suddenly turned from darling to the most hated in four possessions. In a jaw-dropping span of 60 seconds, Lopez missed four free throws and coughed up a critical turnover with only 19 seconds left.
Despite all these gimmes, La Salle wasn’t ready to claim the game as Phillips, the heartbeat of the Archers, bricked two free throws of his own. Lopez leapt for the rebound, only to fling an errant pass that sent hearts into the stands.
As the clock ticked down, JD Cagulangan fouled Quiambao with 14 seconds left. The stage was set for KQ to ice the game and seal La Salle’s triumph. But even MVPs aren’t immune to the weight of history—two missed freebies left the door wide open.
Lopez once again soared for the rebound, dribbled, and fumbled, setting up a frantic final possession. The ball eventually found Gerry Abadiano’s desperation corner heave at the buzzer and hit nothing but air.
La Salle escaped, barely, with a 76-75 Game Two victory that secured a path to Game Three. What could’ve been heartbreak turned into sheer jubilation as the Green Archers stood tall in a game that tested every ounce of their mettle.
ANIMO LA SALLE!
