DLSU wins 1st game!

Eager Archers Start Right A-Way
by JP Abcede

Original article here

Did anyone miss De La Salle University? Not when they go 14-0 in the first four minutes of their first game back from oblivion. The Green Archers started the 70th UAAP men’s basketball season with a bang, manhandling the young University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 82-61, on July 7 at the Araneta Coliseum for their first UAAP victory in almost two years, not counting the ones they forfeited prior to that.

“We were just so excited to be back in the UAAP,” said a giddy Franz Pumaren. “We feel like playing for the first time.”

Cholo Villanueva, PJ Walsham, and James Mangahas were just as happy to be there, making the first 14 points of DLSU. Jvee Casio gave the Archers their highest lead, scoring five points late in the game, 82-57.

“I am really expecting him to be there,” Pumaren referred to topscorer Villanueva, who finished with 19 points on 7/13 shooting, while also notching six rebounds and four assists.

Mangahas garnered 14 markers, shooting 70% at the two-point field, and grabbed seven boards before coming out with a sprain. Both TY Tang and Casio finished with 12 points.

Martin Reyes topped the Maroons with 14 points. Woodward Co was good 3/5 at the three-point area, concluding the game with 12.

The green and white gallery thought that the first quarter would never end, euphoric after the scoreboard read 14-0. Magi Sison beat the shot clock buzzer for UP’s first points with a three-pointer, 6:01.

For the rest of the quarter, the Maroons’ only field goals came from beyond the arc until Mark Lopez scored on an undergoal shot, 9:19 of the second period to trail, 16-25. The nearest the Diliman-based squad could get was eight when Migs de Asis netted a three, 5:53 of the third, 37-49.

The Taft-based squad eventually breached the 20-point ledger when Villanueva recovered the ball from a broken play and scored, 65-45, 5:50 of the fourth.

For the Archers’ next opponent, they have Adamson Falcons on July 14. UP, on the other hand, will have an early Battle of Intramuros with Ateneo de Manila University on July 12.