MANILA, Philippines - All hail to Ambassador Bader.

In what was Bader Malabes' best game in three outings this season, the sophomore Fil-Bahrainian unloaded a shattering triple inside the final two minutes to give the defending champion Green Archers the needed boost to edge out the University of Sto. Tomas Tigers, 85-84, last July 17 in the 71^st UAAP men's basketball season at the Philsports Arena.

"I have been waiting for his big game. The kid can really shoot," remarked Pumaren of Malabes, who converted a total of four three-pointers for the game to tally 16 points.

The game is considered to be Malabes' breakout, this after suffering a bout from tonsillitis shortly before the start of the UAAP season.

Malabes' last triple proved to be telling and came when the Archers much needed it, untangling the Archers from a 77-all deadlock down the stretch.

Although the Tigers regained the lead with back-to-back conversions from rookie Jeric Fortuna and the now-seasoned Dylan Ababou, the Archers managed to stave off the resilient Tigers with their steady free throw shooting courtesy of JV Casio and rookie Maui Villanueva.

Casio and Villanueva accounted for three of four free throws inside the final minute to preserve the Archers' second straight victory in three outings.

And we must not forget junior player James Mangahas' game-long brilliance. Mangahas fired 18 points only behind Casio's team-high 19 but made a key attack to the basket against monster Jervy Cruz to wrest the lead away from the Tigers for good, 82-81, with 47.7 ticks on the clock.

"It was, indeed, a big test on our part. At least, we survived that particular test. We're really lucky to have won that game," said Green Archers coach Franz Pumaren as La Salle joined the FEU Tamaraws and the University of the East Warriors in second position.

As the Tigers found themselves plagued by early team foul trouble, Casio sent La Salle ahead with his two freebies, 84-81, off Carlos Fenequito's foul with 16.4 seconds remaining.

At that stage, the rattled Tigers were left scurrying for a three-point basket but Fortuna's attempt was to no avail, paving way for Villanueva's split charities with 5.5 seconds remaining.

Ababou, whose game-high 23-points, 10 in the final period, went for naught because of the loss, trimmed down the lead to a solitary point with a buzzer-beating triple. His drive beating past Casio with a shade under a minute left pushed UST to taste the lead for one last time, 81-80.

THE SCORES:

DLSU 85 - Casio 19, Mangahas 18, Malabes 16, Maierhofer 8, Barua 7, Revilla 6, Walsham 4, Villanueva 3, Webb 2, Atkins 2, Mendoza 0, Bagatsing 0, Ferdinand 0, Batricevic 0.

UST 84 - Ababou 23, Cruz 20,  Canlas 18, Allera 12, Fortuna 5, Cuan 4, Taylor 2, Fenequito 0, Camus 0, Bautista 0, Mirza 0, Gile 0.

Quarter Scores: 18-14; 38-34; 63-58; 85-84