The Cool Cub chewed, consumed and enjoyed his Eagle dinner as he led his La Salle Green Archers to a pulsating 78-72 victory to finally book a ticket to the Final Four.
With the game hanging on a precarious 72-all balance, Mike Phillips motored his way to a key offensive outback to push his Archers to a 74-72 lead with 46 seconds to go. And while the one-and-done Eagles try to draw up their last plays, Jacob Cortez jumped into the passing lane to snatch the interior pass.
Cortez, with the coolness of his Cool Cat genes, pulled up with 12 seconds to go and drained a middie for his 20th point.
And while Phillips snatched another crosscourt Ateneo pass, he sank the insurance free throws, calling bank on the front end to finish off the frying of the Eagles 78-72.
In a game defined more by precision than pace, La Salle navigated a series of calculated possessions to outlast Ateneo in a tightly contested rivalry match. The Archers established an early 37–35 edge after a baseline connection between Jacob Cortez and Vhoris Marasigan, capping a first half that resembled a chess match.
Both teams cycled through substitutions, toggled defensive schemes, and maintained modest scoring runs that never exceeded four points.
Ateneo leaned heavily on perimeter shooting to stay afloat, while La Salle repeatedly pressed the Blue Eagles’ point-of-attack defense — a consistent soft spot that allowed the Archers to generate high-quality looks.
Mike Phillips led La Salle with eight early points, and Marasigan added six, though the more significant development came defensively.
La Salle effectively neutralized Ateneo’s key Game 1 scorers, including Dom Escobar, and held the Eagles to minimal separation despite an Ian Espinosa three that briefly pushed Ateneo ahead 38–37 late in the half.
The balance shifted in the third quarter when Ateneo turned to Divine Adili, who imposed his presence around the basket. Through second-chance conversions and activity on the offensive glass, he powered the Eagles to a 55–45 lead.
La Salle countered through Luis Pablo, who trimmed the deficit to 55–47 with 3:40 left, but Ateneo maintained separation through timely perimeter shooting. Pablo’s free throws and another pull-up from Marasigan kept La Salle within reach, though Ateneo carried a 60–56 advantage into the final period.
The fourth quarter truly belonged to La Salle’s backcourt. Marasigan’s offensive assertiveness set the tone, and Cortez took command from there. His three-pointer tied the game at 63 with 6:48 remaining, prompting an immediate timeout from Coach Tab Baldwin.
The pause did little to halt the Archers’ surge. Cortez returned to hit a jumper for a 65–63 lead, then added another midrange shot moments later as part of a 9–3 run that swung momentum firmly in La Salle’s favor. An Ateneo defensive snafu left JC Macalalag free for a clean finish that extended the margin to 70–65.
The game tightened again entering the final 2:34, and La Salle faced pressure after Marasigan fouled out. The Archers leaned on Mike Phillips, who split free throws for a 72–70 lead before Wacky Espina answered with a driving layup to tie it at 72.
From there, La Salle executed the closing stretch with discipline. Phillips converted a critical putback off a Macalalag triple miss to restore a two-point cushion, and Ateneo’s subsequent attempt to attack the interior was undone when Cortez anticipated and intercepted a late entry pass.
With the shot clock winding down, Cortez delivered the night’s defining play — a composed midrange jumper with 12 seconds left to make it 76–72.
Phillips followed with another defensive stop and two free throws, one banking in, sealing a win built not on explosive stretches but on timely execution and control.
La Salle’s ability to manage tempo, identify matchups, and close with composure ultimately separated them in a game where neither team found much room to breathe. It was a rivalry contest played at half-step speed but full-weight intensity — and La Salle handled the margins better.
Onto the Final Four. And how sweet it is to make it at the expense of our bitter rivals.
ANIMO LA SALLE!!!
