Faith propels DLSU to throne

God Did. These were the two words that La Salle’s Green Archers cried out when skipper Mike Phillips asked who brought the UAAP men’s basketball championship back to Taft in a huddle after clinching the best-of-three Finals via a pulsating 80-72 decision before 24,339 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Wednesday.

“God is the champion, not us,” said Phillips who delivered 25 points and 18 rebounds in his final collegiate appearance. “He took us to the top of the mountain. We didn’t win, God did. We’re like an arrow pointing upwards.”

Throughout a harrowing season, the Archers endured injuries, suspensions to key players, doubts from doomsayers and a pair of one-point second round setbacks to teams that didn’t even make the Final Four. Faith kept La Salle’s Animo Spirit alive and took the Archers home.

The day before Game 2, the Archers went to Quiapo Church on the invitation of Fr. Jonathan Mojica, a La Salle student who celebrated Mass for the team on the eve of every contest during the campaign. “We saw hundreds of people praying, not for a championship like us but for a better life for their families, a much higher aspiration,” said coach Topex Robinson. “In a way, we gave them hope as we gave ourselves hope. We inspired them by our presence. We left our fate in God’s hands.”

In the lockerroom before practice at Araneta last Tuesday, Fr. Jonathan gave out scapulars, stampitas and kerchiefs with inscribed prayers and an image of Jesus Nazareno after Mass. On the court before each contest, the team would form a circle to pray hand-in-hand. While Game 3 was ongoing, players on the bench held rosaries and prayed together. In the middle of the Finals, Robinson reminded the players of five pillars that kept the team whole – joy in playing the game, fulfillment in playing their best, competitiveness in playing hard, commitment in playing true and compassion in playing to inspire others. After every prayer, the team would recite the LaSallian devotion “I will continue, O my God, to do all my actions for the love of You.”

The Finals averaged an attendance of 21,653, eclipsing last season’s record of 21,061. In Game 3, La Salle surprised UP by starting Mason Amos, using a three-big lineup with Phillips, Amos and Luis Pablo to crack the zone, deploying Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan in tandem, trapping Noy Remogat to break his rhythm and opening the floor for Phillips to attack the middle. Cortez played decoy, brought UP’s defense to the far wings and took 10 shots, five less than in Games 1 and 2. Amos fired 11 points but shone more on defense, collecting three blocks and standing up to Francis Nnoruka. Six Archers scored at least eight points, compared to UP’s three. Defense was key as La Salle held UP to 35.3 percent field goal shooting and an assist-to-turnover rate of six to 11 compared to La Salle’s 10 to eight in the second half. UP was limited to 13 points in the fourth quarter where La Salle shot 22. Robinson, who was maligned in social media when La Salle nearly missed the Final Four, was masterful in piloting the Archers every step of the way.

DLSU president Bro. Bernie Oca said the storybook victory was a fairy tale. Terry Capistrano, who heads the team’s management committee, never lost faith in the team and savored his 10th championship in 12 Finals at the helm. History was made as La Salle became the first fourth-place team to win the crown in 11 years.