Quick Fire: DLSU Green Archers Bounces Back By Beating Winless UST Growl-less Tigers 115-86

(Photo Credit: Joseph Nebrida, GoArchers.com)

De La Salle Green Archers def UST Growling Tigers 115-86

Notable Players:

Ben Mbala, DLSU (28 points, 50% Field Goal percentage, 9 rebounds, 4 offensive boards, 2 assists and 2 steals): Despite racking up season-low numbers (I laugh in fear as I read these lines. These are season low for Ben. INSANE - Ed), still a monster game for the kid from Cameroon.  Mbala was methodical, deliberate and disciplined as the La Salle star not only escalated the lead in the second quarter by exploding for 12 points, but also limited his turnovers to only 2.  Sharing the ball using crisp and fast passes enabled the other Green Archers to get involved in the flow.

Andrei Caracut, DLSU (14 points, 5 assists, 2 steals 56% field goal percentage): The former San Beda Red Cub showed tenacity by adhering to the Mayhem system and backstopped the Archers by tending the back court with high level of effectiveness.  Caracut was +26 on his time on the floor, the highest for the winning team. Caracut skippered the Mayhem press in the second quarter when La Salle went on a tear and almost doubled UST's score at 50-26 with 5:10 mins to go in the half.

Santi Santillan, DLSU (14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 offensive rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals): Santillan has been trying his hand on becoming a stretch 4 by consistently stroking from the 3 point zone.  But his numbers have shown he is way beyond just shooting.  Santillan racked up ball handler numbers in assists and steals and he is fast becoming the stabilizer in the green and white offense.

Ramil Tero, DLSU (5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 offensive boards, 3 assists, 2 steals in 10 minutes): Riding the bench for the first games, when his name was called, Tero responded.  Tero was the sparkplug in the seering La Salle pull away in the first quarter by his sheer hustle.  Stealing the leather, running up and down the court with reckless abandon highlighted Tero's best game in his young UAAP thus far including a Rajon Rondo-esque fake-back-pass-lay up that sent the quality minutes loving green gallery into cheers.

Olive De Guzman, UST (18 points,  4 assists): The single bright spot in a horrible outing for UST is De Guzman who relentlessly attacked the La Salle defense in the 3rd and 4th quarters trying to bring the dead Tigers back to life.

Quick Analysis

-  If there was a team who failed to do their homework on "what to do with Ben Mbala" it would be UST, Coach Boy Sablan.  Mbala frolicked the lane with almost a single coverage with the defense too slow to rotate.  As La Salle attacked the lane from the keyhole, the Growl-less Tigers just watched as Mbala, Santillan, Tratter and Baltazar took turns burning the UST interior defense with ease.

-  Most teams have decoded Mayhem, except UST.  Even at La Salle's best year, the Archers forced 18 turnovers and converting this into 28 points per game in Season 79.  UST allowed had 35 botched plays and allowed La Salle to convert this 37 easy points.

-  La Salle Coach Aldin Ayo opted to sit Ricci Rivero nd played without hotshot Aljun Melecio who is at sick bay.  This proved to be a positive development for La Salle as the usually slow one-dimensional Green Archers offense became fluid and tied FEU for the season's most number of assists per game at 28 dimes.  Playing unselfish ball and getting every green shirt on the floor involved, La Salle looked better offensively in getting easier baskets without forcing the issue.

- Give credit to the Tigers who have braved the paint despite Mbala's presence, UST out hustled La Salle off the boards 51-45 and was close to La Salle in inside points 66-62.