It was all tight until the break. De La Salle University emerged from the dugout smoking as it burned down Ateneo de Manila University with a strong second half for a lopsided 74-61 win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.   

The defending champions controlled the boards and made a killing from second servings in a clinical beatdown of their archnemesis for the solo lead with their third win in as many starts while keeping the Blue Eagles winless.

Reigning Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao flirted with a triple-double — 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists — to lead La Salle, which limited Ateneo to just 21 points in the second half.

Mike Phillips had a double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds while JC Macalalag had nine for the Green Archers, who outrebounded the Blue Eagles, 62-37, including 24 offensive boards.     

The Taft-based squad made life difficult for the Blue Eagles in the third canto as the Green Archers’ defense kept the opposition to just four points. Ateneo only had two field goals in the period with its last coming from a goal-tending infraction called on Mike Phillips.

La Salle sustained its red-hot shooting in the final canto with Macalalag pushing his team’s advantage to 66-46 in a completed three-point play in the last 8:28 of the game.  

La Salle kept its distance for most of the opening half, never letting Ateneo get a taste of the lead.

The Green Archers made a telling 10-3 run in the second period to build 36-25 separation with 4:22 left off a nifty alley-oop pass by Quiambao to Raven Gonzales.

But the Blue Eagles made it interesting heading into the break with a 15-4 counterattack sealed by a Waki Espina triple to knot the game at 40 with 34 seconds left.

A frantic end to the first half ensued as La Salle scored on three straight possessions. Phillips grabbed an offensive board off a missed free throw and got himself to the foul line.

He sank his first and missed his second but hauled the offensive board and found a teammate open for a trey. The shot rimmed out but Phillips tapped it back in at the buzzer for a 44-40 La Salle lead at halftime.

Ateneo’s worst start in 11 years continued with another double-digit whipping. Shawn Tuano was the lone Blue Eagle in double figures with 18 points.