Mark Nonoy and Justine Baltazar lifted De La Salle University in the fourth, beating National University, 59-55, Tuesday in the UAAP Season 84 men's basketball tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Down by just three in the early goings of the payoff period, Nonoy and Baltazar joined hands for a mammoth 14-4 bomb to take the seven-point lead with 3:27 left, 56-49.
The Green Archers then put the clamps on the Bulldogs, holding them to just six points in the final 3:04 of the match as Baltazar put on the finishing touches.
“Things were not going right for us,” said coach Derrick Pumaren. “We lost our concentration. We made a lot of mistakes. But I think we really worked hard for this win.”
Nonoy and Baltazar were the only players from La Salle to score in the fourth quarter but they did power their team to victory.
The dazzling Archers duo both produced 13 points with Nonoy adding four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Baltazar, on the other hand, got seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
CJ Austria also chimed in 10 points for La Salle.
Mike Malonzo was the only Bulldog to reach double figures with 10 points, while Enzo Joson, Jake Figueroa, and John Lloyd Clemente all delivered nine points apiece.
The Archers look to build on their momentum when they face Far Eastern University on Tuesday at 1 pm. The Bulldogs will follow against University of the Philippines at 4 pm.
The Scores:
DLSU 59 - Baltazar 13, Nonoy 13, Austria 10, Lojera 7, Manuel 6, Nelle 5, Phillips M. 3, Winston 2, Nwankwo 0, Phillips B. 0, Cuajao 0.
NU 55 - Malonzo 10, Joson 9, Clemente 9, Figueroa 9, Mahinay 6, Enriquez 4, Tibayan 4, Gaye 2, Felicilda 2, Galinato 0, Ildefonso 0, Torres 0, Yu 0, Manansala 0, Minerva 0.
Quarterscores: 19-16, 29-30, 42-43, 59-55.
UAAP Season 84 Men's Basketball
De La Salle University Green Archers (dark) vs National University Bulldogs (light)
March 29, 2022
SM Mall of Asia Arena
Photos by UAAP Season 84 Media Team (Dennis Lachica, Sportsmanila Photojournalist)