Archers go for kill

La Salle’s Jacob Cortez (11)

(UAAP Media Bureau)

Games Sunday (December 14)

(Malk of Asia Arena)

1 p.m. – UST vs NU (Women's Finals)

4 p.m. – DLSU vs UP (Men's Finals)

MANILA, Philippines — End or extend?

La Salle goes for the knockout blow while titleholder University of the Philippines fight to live another day in Game 2 of their finale trilogy in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball finals Sunday before an expected jampacked crowd anew at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Action sizzles at 4 p.m. with the Green Archers wanting no let-up after a 74-70 escape act in Game 1 to complete their revenge tour following a tough loss in three games last season.

Reigning champion National University, meanwhile, shoots for its second straight and ninth overall crown in the last 11 seasons against the erstwhile unbeaten University Santo Tomas in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the women's finals at 1 p.m.

The bigger spotlight, however, is on the Green Archers with a handsome opportunity to go 2-1 against the Fighting Maroons in their three straight titular showdowns so far.

La Salle won Season 86 led by MVP Kevin Quiambao, but his swan song last year got spoiled by UP with both finals going the distance. And as much as the Green Archers want to do a quick work this time around, coach Topex Robinson is fully aware that it will not be an easy mountain to climb against an expected ful on resistance by their fierce rivals from Diliman.

That's inspite of La Salle's five straight wins and a 3-0 season sweep of UP so far, which holds no weight already in en entirely different stage.

"We have so much respect for UP that we know that at any given time, they could beat us. Alam namin na hindi lang nila basta-basta ibibigay sa amin," warned Robinson, who dealt UP and mentor Goldwin Monteverde their first Game 1 defeat in five straight finals appearance so far.

“We know that winning game one doesn't make you champions yet but giving you an extra push or motivation to really go at it and we have so much respect for the team. They've really made us the team that we are right now. They grounded us and accepted the fact that they're the best team. That's a well-coached team. We beat them twice in the eliminations, but those are really close games as well and we know their capabilities.”

Aside from their trilogy in the UAAP, La Salle bowed to UP twice in the Filoil finals, sending the Green Archers crashing back to Earth before getting their acts together in a rough transition following the graduation of two-time MVP Quiambao.

And that's what made them hungrier, looking to quench it in potential clincher Game 2 behind the leadership of Jacob Cortez, who nailed the dagger triple in the last 30 seconds to announce a roaring introduction as the next King Archer, mirroring his dad Mike, who won two titles for La Salle in the 2000s.

"I want to win it for him," said Cortez, expected to be backed by Elite Team member Mike Phillips, Kean Baclaan, Mason Amos, Vhoris Marasigan, Earl Abadam and JC Macalalag.

Calmly waiting for them are the Fighting Maroons with no plans of pressing the alarm in a big stage they've already been in since 2022 with two titles to show.

For mentor Goldwin Monteverde's army, the war has just got started.

“I believe 'yung team namin knows how to bounce back from mga ganitong situation. We have just lost a battle; the war is not yet over. We still have two games left, we’re still positive about it,” he vowed, banking on Rey Remogat, Terrence Fortea, Reyland Torres and Francis Nnoruka to backstop Harold Alarcon after his foiled 34-point eruption in Game 1.