Mike Philips put the De La Salle Green Archers on his back, powering them to a nail-biting 60-58 victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament opener on Saturday at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Philips delivered a commanding double-double of 17 points and 15 rebounds, imposing his will inside the paint while providing the defensive anchor La Salle needed. From start to finish, it was Philips’ relentless energy that kept the Archers alive, earning him Player of the Game
honors.
Adamson came out aggressively, taking an 18-15 lead after the first quarter as La Salle struggled to establish rhythm. Philips, however, kept the Archers within striking distance, scoring on tough drives and cleaning up misses against the Falcons’ frontcourt.
In the second frame, La Salle began to find its chemistry. Philips threw down a thunderous alley-oop from Jacob Cortez that energized the team and highlighted the growing connection between the Archers’ guards and bigs. That stretch helped La Salle build a 33-25 halftime
cushion.
The Falcons weren’t done, though. Adamson clawed back in the third quarter, tying the game at 41 behind Cedrick Manzano’s inside presence and Ray Allen Torres’ midrange shots. La Salle endured a scoring drought that threatened to swing momentum completely, but a timely triple
from Lebron Daep and steady boards from Philips allowed them to cling to a 49-46 lead heading into the fourth.
Philips again set the tone in the final period, starting it off with a chase-down block that reminded Adamson of his defensive presence. Though the Archers struggled to put points on the board, Philips’ hustle plays and rebounds prevented the Falcons from pulling away.
With the game tied in the dying moments, Mason Amos rose to the occasion, drilling the dagger three with 8.7 seconds left that sealed the deal for La Salle. The highlight shot punctuated the Archers’ gritty stand, but it was Philips’ dominance on both ends that made sure they had thechance to win.
La Salle opened their campaign with a hard-earned 1-0 record, while Adamson slipped to 0-1 despite Manzano’s 19 points and nine boards.
For the Archers, the message was clear: as long as Mike Philips controls the paint, they’ll always have a fighting chance.
