The Green Archers wouldn't give the UE Warriors the distinction of beating them back-to-back, consecutively at that.

    Through the game-long brilliance of JV Casio, the Green Archers fended off the Warriors this time, 70-62, in the resumption of hostilities in the 71st University Athletic Association of the Philippines men's basketball tournament last August 8 at the Araneta Coliseum. 

    Thus, the defending Archers, who haven't lost back-to-back, averted what could have been their second straight loss against the same team which defeated them (62-68) in their previous outing just six days ago.

    The Warriors struggled without ace scorer and starter James Martinez in the first quarter. Martinez brought his wrong pair of red shorts to the game and had to be content watching from the sidelines until the right pair of shorts was delivered to him at the coliseum.

    When Martinez finally got to play, the Green Archers have already built their advantage midway in the second period.

    Casio showed the way for La Salle with 25 points and eight rebounds, and his heroics included a jumper and triple during a decisive stretch at the start of the third canto.

    His efforts was instrumental in moving the Green Archers up the standings, now in solo second position with their 6-2 win-loss record only behind the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

    Despite the absence of injured players Marko Batrivcevic (out for season -ACL) and Simon Atkins (recovery from bad fall), La Salle managed to bounce back from their 62-68 loss just last week to the Warriors.

    Firing nine points in the third canto, Casio's baskets allowed the Green Archers to widen a 36-30 haltime lead, and take a 50-38 spread off Rico Maierhofer's trey with 3:13 remaining.

    Maierhofer had 11 points and six rebounds, while James Mangahas and PJ Barua contributed nine points apiece.

    "Its a very good sign for us. We were able to regroup and bounce back. It helped down the stretch with this kind of game. In our first encounter (with UE), we played bad," said Green Archers coach Franz Pumaren.

    Marcy Arellano, who was held to just three points in the final period,  tallied a gamehigh 13 points for the Warriors, who dropped to fourth at 4-4.

    Martinez was held scoreless when he finally got to play, and  finished with only five points, which he made in the fourth.
   
    "In the first round, we played bad. It was a great effort on my players because it seems so hard for them to recover for this young kids," added Pumaren, referring to the injuries sustained by Batrivcevic and Atkins in their previous game with the Warriors.

    A triple and split free throw from Rudy Lingganay with 1:40 left allowed the Warriors to briefly close in, 44-50, with 1:40 to go.

    But a freebie and a triple from Casio in the last 8:08 enabled La Salle to remain out of trouble, 60-48.

- Cesar Concio

    The scores:

    La Salle 70-- Casio 25, Maierhofer 11, Mangahas 9, Barua 9, Revilla 6, Villanueva 4, Mendoza 4, Waslham 2, Webb 0, Bagatsing 0, Malabes 0.

    UE 61-- Arellano 13, Llagas 11, Reyes 10, Zamar 5, Lingganay 5, Thiele 5, Martinez 5, Lee 4, Espiritu 3, Noble 0, Etrone 0, Bandaying 0.

    Quarterscores: 12-15, 36-30, 53-46, 70-61.