The La Salle Green Archers weathered the hot hands of Alvin Pasaol, drew big baskets from Encho Serrano and Andrei Caracut and smothered the University of the East Warriors,79-59, yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Serrano, formerly a junior standout from the Adamson Baby Falcons, knocked in a team-high 18 points for the Green Archers, who picked up their fifth triumph in eight games in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.
The Green Archers, who earned their second consecutive win, got 16 points from Caracut as they pulled even with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in third place.
Aljun Melecio, who chipped in eight points, unloaded a trey with 3:44 left in the second period as La Salle went on to enjoy a 16-point, 44-28 edge.
As the Green Archers found their range again, field goal percentage slightly went up to 50 percent midway in the second period before it settled to 47.37 percent at halftime.
They Green Archers nursed an 11-point edge before the third period got under way, 47-36, and finished with a 41 percent field goal percentage.
The Warriors, getting 22 points from Pasaol, absorbed their seventh setback in eight outings.
“I told them we need to put in the work. Because every win counts right now. Malaking panalo sa amin ito,” said coach Louie Gonzalez, whose Archers are within range of a Final Four semifinal slot.
The Warriors gave the Green Archers a mild scare at 5:43 of the third period where UE got close at 46-49 behind the baskets of Pasaol and Christopher Conner.
But the Green Archers got back on track later behind Caracut, Santi Santillan and Serrano, whose trey put La Salle up by 12, 58-46, in the final 3:04 of the third.
The Archers regained control at 66-49 off Serrano’s tip-in at the end of the period.
