WHEN the University of the East and De La Salle University last matched-up in the first round of the UAAP Men’s Basketball tournament, DLSU Coach Aldin Ayo was ejected from the game and had a one game suspension, due to the heated intensity of the game between the two teams.
However, coming into the second round of the face-off, DLSU made sure that nothing like that was about to happen as they had a strong start to finish. The Green Archers walked over the Warriors and swept their 12th win in the season, 95-66 on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
DLSU overthrew the Red Warriors, 24-15 after the first ten minutes of the game, with Ben Mbala making 10 of his 26 points.
By the third period, DLSU sparked a 10-0 rally to place a 20-point lead, 58-38, which UE never overcame. The Green Archers even made it to a 29-point lead as UE tasted another defeat.
Despite an outstanding record in the rebounding department with 71-34 against UE, Ayo was still unimpressed with the team’s performance.
“Umaangat na yung level ng laro namin, pero may mga aspects pa nakailangang trabahuhin,” said Ayo.
DLSU remains undefeated in the tournament with a clean 12-0 record. The Green Archers have an outright berth into the Finals, and are two wins away from an eliminations sweep. If DLSU wins against Ateneo, the Green Archers would tie up their record in 2002, when they had a 13-0 sweep.
Ben Mbala continues to lead DLSU with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Jeron Teng and Thomas Torres had 20 and 11 points, respectively.
Alvin Pasaol was the lone scorer for UE with 17 points and five rebounds. UE was eliminated in the UAAP Final Four race for the seventh straight season.
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