There’s no giving up for the sea of green.
Seeing defending champion De La Salle University go down by nine points with eight and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter of the crucial Game 2, the Green Archers faithful inside the packed Mall of Asia Arena cheered louder.
The La Salle sixth man’s unwavering support sent a clear message to the men battling for their lives inside the court: Keep fighting.
It was more than enough fuel for the Green Archers to pull off what could be one of the most memorable comeback wins in a University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball finals.
La Salle completed an amazing come-from-behind, 76-75, win over University of the Philippines in Game 2 of Season 87 best-of-three finals last Wednesday.
“I just want to give all my praise to the De La Salle crowd. I say this time and time again the La Salle crowd is there for us when we win. But when we’re losing or going through a hard part, that’s when they show their true colors,” Green Archers big man Mike Phillips said.
Phillips finished what back-to-back Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao started in a telling charge inside the last three minutes of the game, delivering the go-ahead and game-winning basket with just 1:07 left that forced the championship rematch into another rubber match.
“My ears were ringing. I got goosebumps. When I looked at the crowd, just being in that is just something you can’t put into words,” Phillips, who had a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, said.
The La Salle crowd not only energized the Green Archers, who in the second straight finals series dropped Game 1 before bouncing back in Game 2, but also helped its team by putting pressure on the Fighting Maroons.
The Taft-based squad’s supporters’ jeers and distractions put the opposing team under a nerve-racking ordeal.
It proved effective as UP forward Francis Lopez cracked under tremendous pressure and missed four potential game-winning free throws in the last minute of the thriller ball game.
The disorienting noise of the crowd also put UP’s last couple of possessions in disarray, ultimately saving the Green Archers to live to fight another day.
“They were screaming their lungs out. They’re just a sea of green and I think really they were the reason that pulled us through,” Phillips said of the other half of the 17,112 crowd that witnessed the epic clash.
“It’s the ear-piercing support from them. Shouting defense. Shouting even in timeouts. I couldn’t even hear what coach (Topex Robinson) was saying,” he added.
