Jeron Teng once again came up big when it mattered.
The 2013 UAAP Finals MVP delivered in the clutch, scoring 5 points in the final 2 minutes including the go-ahead three point play as the Green Archers completed its comeback with a 64-60 win over San Beda in the knock-out semis match in the PCCL.
Teng finished with 23 points and 8 rebounds while Jason Perkins scored 15 and collared 14 boards for La Salle, who will face the SWU Cobras in the best-of-three finals starting next week.
Five days after facing each other in a benefit match that ended in a draw, the stakes were higher this time around as both teams slugged it out for 40 minutes. The game saw 6 deadlocks and 8 lead changes.
With the Archers leading by 10 in the third, the Red Lions stormed back with Baser Amer hitting back-to-back triples to lead a 13-4 run and go up by a point entering the final period.
The NCAA champs carried the momentum in the fourth as Ola Adeogun and Art Dela Cruz pounded their way inside for a 58-53 lead at the halfway mark.
It was all La Salle the rest of the way.
An 11-2 run, capped off by a sidestep jumper by Almond Vosotros gave the Archers the upper hand, 62-58 with 34 ticks remaining.
After a quick basket by the Red Lions, Vosotros dribbled the clock, attempted a long two which missed, but was able to get the rebound and hand it off to Perkins underneath to seal the win.
This will be La Salle’s second stint in the PCCL finals. They last won this tournament in 2008.
Boxscores
DLSU (64) – Teng 23, Perkins 15, Vosotros 12, N. Torres 6, Salem 4, T. Torres 2, Bolick 2, Montalbo 0, Van Opstal 0, Tampus 0
SBC (60) – Dela Cruz 19, Amer 15, Adeogun 14, Dela Rosa 5, Sara 3, Pascual 2, A. Semerad 2, Ludovice 0, Mendoza 0, D. Semerad 0, Koga 0
Quarterscores: 17-16, 25-27, 46-47, 64-60