Archers begin back-to-back UAAP title bid sans Mike Phillips as Season 89 cage wars fire off

MANILA, Philippines -- La Salle survived the departure of two-time MVP Kevin Quiambao last year en route to a sweet redemption in Season 88. The Green Archers will hope to do it one more time without Finals MVP Mike Phillips for their first repeat title in two decades.

Losing one of the final pieces of their core that went to three straight finals appearances, the Taft-based cagers brace for a strong opposition to a second straight title this Season 89, something they have not done since completing a four-peat in the early 2000s.

Come hell or high water though, the wards of Topex Robinson are locked and loaded to protect the throne sans Phillips, who graduated already and quickly jumped to the pros in Japan on top of his Gilas Pilipinas stint.

"Being the defending champions, we understand that expectations will always be there,” said coach Topex Robinson as La Salle faces a tall order for its first assignment against the ever-gritty National University at 2:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

La Salle, then riddled with injuries to become the No. 4 seed, erased the twice-to-beat edge of the top-ranked NU, in the Final Four last year before escaping rival UP in their trilogy to redeem the crown.

The Green Archers topped the Fighting Maroons in three games, hoisting their second title in three seasons under Robinson, who is well aware of the harder climb this time around without Phillips, starting with the revenge-seeking Bulldogs.

“We embrace that challenge,” vowed Robinson, counting on new anchor Luis Pablo to fill Phillips’ role alongside Jacob Cortez as now the team’s No. 1 offensive weapon.

"NU has always been a tough matchup for us. They’re big, they’re physical, and we know they’re going to challenge us in a lot of ways. But at the end of the day, we can’t be too concerned about the things we cannot control. Our focus is on how we execute, how we compete, and how we stay together, especially when things get tough.”

Joining Pablo and Cortez are seniors Mason Amos, Earl Abadam and JC Macalalag, who are out for a fitting swan song to cap La Salle’s first back-to-back title since the era of Mike Cortez, Jacob’s father, Renren Ritualo, Don Allado, Mac Cardona and Joseph Yeo who ruled the UAAP from 1998 to 2001.

La Salle’s rematch with NU serves as a sandwich to the UAAP’s three-game curtain raiser after an explosive opening ceremony Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena headlined by host FEU celebrity alums Vice Ganda and Gloc-9.

After the Green Archers-Bulldogs duel, the Tamaraws test the mettle of the Adamson Soaring Falcons at 12 p.m. The Fighting Maroons then begin their revenge tour against the Santo Tomas Growling Tigers at 6 p.m., also a rematch of last season’s other Final Four pairing.

FEU, holder of the most titles in UAAP men’s history with 20 but last won it all in 2015, emerges as one of the dark horses to the La Salle-UP reign with an intact core led by reigning MVP Janrey Pasaol and UAAP juniors MVP Wilham Lawrence Cabonillas, also a Batang Gilas Pilipinas standout.

“My realistic goal is that we can win the championship this year. I think we're that talented (for that goal). But of course, if we're going to win the championship, we have to make it to the final round so the first goal is the Final Four, which has been the goal since I came in,” said mentor Sean Chambers as FEU (7-7) barely missed the Final Four last year at No. 5 with only a game behind La Salle (8-6).

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