La Salle, UP aim for bounce-back wins

By Josiah Albelda Posted Jul 3rd 2013

Opening-weekend losers De La Salle University and University of the Philippines lock horns on Wednesday to try to break into the win column of the 76th UAAP men's basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Fresh off a heartbreaking overtime loss to University of Santo Tomas, the Green Archers, who came back from a 10-point deficit late in the fourth only to fall short, attempt to put that defeat behind them.

The Taft-based squad battles a Fighting Maroons team that was shellacked by Adamson University last Sunday, with UP getting manhandled on the boards, 53-29.

The Maroons would have to try to beat the favored Archers, though, without starting point guard Mikee Reyes, who has reportedly quit the team after a bench altercation with coach Ricky Dandan in their loss to the Falcons.

"Well, that was a quick season," Reyes tweeted using his account @7mikee. "If you are not needed anymore, accept and move on. Goodluck (sic) to the UP Fighting Maroons!"

Returning to action after sitting out two years due to injury, Reyes struggled against Adamson's backup guards and getting subbed out by Dandan did not sit well with him.

Stepping up to the plate will be young guard Henry Asilum, who scored 10 points and sparked the late third quarter run that pulled the Maroons from 18 points down to within six.

But Asilum would definitely have a harder time piercing the defense of La Salle's army of cat-quick guards.

LA Revilla and Almond Vosotros lead the Archers' charge with Jeron Teng, Norbert Torres and Jason Perkins manning the fort for the Green and White.

UP hasn't beaten La Salle since August 22, 2009 -- a streak of six straight losses.

The game will air live at 2 p.m. on Studio 23, BALLS HD 167 and uaapsports.tv with a same day replay at 9 p.m. on BALLS SkyCable channel 34 or Destiny Cable channel 36.