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[av_heading heading=’La Salle rallies to force Game 3 in UAAP finals ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – De La Salle Green Archers clawed its way back from a huge deficit to score a 92-83 victory over Ateneo Blue Eagles in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball finals yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The win enabled the defending champion to force a do-or-die Game 3 in the series on Sunday, still at the Big Dome.
Down by as much as 21 points in the second quarter, Green Archers went on a huge run in the third behind Ben Mbala, Ricci Rivero, Andrei Caracut, and Leonard Santillan to surge to a 68-59 advantage.
Blue Eagles countered with a run in the final frame to come to within 70-74 on hits by Aaron Black but a basket from Rivero and back-to-back triples from Aljun Melecio raised Green Archers’ lead to 88-77.
Mbala – the Season 80 Most Valuable Player – led with 20 points for Green Archers. Rivero chipped in with 18 markers while Caracut and Melecio contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Blue Eagles had a strong start on 3-point conversions from Anton Asistio and Thirdy Ravena to build a 32-15 advantage before later widening the lead to as high as 21 points on a basket by Jolo Mendoza.
But Green Archers made its move midway in the second courtesy of inside baskets from Mbala, Santillan and Melecio to cut the deficit 42-51 at the half.
Ravena scored 20 for Blue Eagles, which was aiming to quench a five-year title drought. Black added 15 while Asistio and Chibueze Ikeh had 13 and 11, respectively./PN
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