There’s no better statement for a UAAP team missing one of its best players than by winning against a potential Final Four contender. 

The DLSU Green Archers saw their players drop like flies against the UE Red Warriors, with Jacob Cortez being the biggest casualty among them all. Cortez suffered a right knee injury against the Red Warriors and even in what was pretty-much a must-win game against the UST Growling Tigers, LaSalle was approaching this delicate situation with caution. 

Thankfully, DLSU played their best fourth-quarter basketball in recent memory, using a 25-9 run in the final quarter to turn a four-point deficit into a resounding 92-80 victory over the Tigers. In Cortez’ absence, it was JC Macalalag (career-high 28 points on six 3-pointers), Doy Dungo (24 points on four 3-pointers), and Joaquin Tovera (15 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, and three steals) who stepped up and answered the call. 

It’s been awhile since the Green Archers had a victory that could boost their confidence and at the same time, keep the naysayers at bay.  Even with the absence of Cortez, LaSalle still has a ton of talent on paper, but the previous eight games saw them go 4-4 with the ups and downs that were uncharacteristic of a defending champion. The graduation of Mike Philiips loomed large especially as DLSU has become one of the weaker rebounding teams this season. 

But the Green Archers have been able to earn victories by working by committee. Whether it was the offensive outburst of Macalalag, Dungo, and Tovera, or the efforts of Luis Pablo, Mason Amos, and Henry Agunnane to hold down the frontcourt, one did not shoulder the workload alone. Each player played their roles to a tee and when the opportunities came their way, they made the most out of their chances. Macalalag, in particular, has often gotten his points in spurts, but with Cortez gone, he made the most out of the touches up for grabs. 

The rest of LaSalle’s schedule doesn’t get any easier as the NU Bulldogs are the only other team they’ve beaten in Season 89, and even then, the Bulldogs have gone 6-1 since dropping their season opener to DLSU. A game against the Ateneo Blue Eagles looms large this holiday weekend and any victory they can get will be crucial in what is shaping up to be the closest Final Four race in recent memory. A nearly weeklong layoff should also give Cortez more time to recover and hopefully suit up against the Green Archers’ archrivals. 

Regardless, the DLSU Green Archers are entering the coming week in a much better position than a week ago. LaSalle seemed to be in a world of trouble after falling below .500 in UAAP Season 89 and losing Jacob Cortez. But for at least one game, they were able to break out of their slump and not only post a statement victory, but also do so at the expense of a fellow Final Four contender. 

They have the chance to do that again, and if they can maintain their momentum, we could be looking at a run for the ages.