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La Salle star transferee Jacob Cortez explodes for 31 while fellow top recruit Kean Baclaan rains down 20 as the Green Archers survive rival UP in a high-octane FilOil preseason showdown
MANILA, Philippines – In perhaps the most anticipated collegiate basketball preseason showdown of 2025, La Salle and defending UAAP champion UP certainly did not disappoint.
In an epic display of high-octane offense, the new-look Green Archers shot an astounding 59% from the field to outgun the feisty Fighting Maroons, 106-99, to stay unbeaten in the 2025 FilOil preseason tournament at the Playtime FilOil Arena in San Juan City on Saturday, May 31.
Highly-anticipated transferees Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan lived up to expectations and then some, as the former exploded for a game-high 31 points on 12-of-16 shooting to go with 5 assists and 4 rebounds in just 27 minutes, while the latter rained down 20 points off the bench in just 23 minutes.
Former UP recruit Luis Pablo also had a revenge game of sorts after barely playing under the Maroons’ banner, tallying 11 points, 6 boards, and 2 dimes in 22 minutes off the bench as La Salle rose to a 2-0 record while UP fell to 2-1.
Ex-Ateneo prospect and Gilas Pilipinas big man Mason Amos also added 9 points on 2-of-4 threes, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 20 minutes off the bench.
“I was looking forward to facing UP. We all know how good they are, so we just went out there and gave our best,” Cortez said.
“What was surprising was the halftime score; that could’ve been a full game already. That just shows how, offensively, both teams are capable,” added Archers head coach Topex Robinson, referencing the hefty 62-60 score at intermission following a 30-24 opening-frame attack by his wards.
UP’s intriguing new foreign student-athlete candidate, 6-foot-9 Nigerian Francis Nnoruka, paced the loss with 21 points in 24 minutes off the bench, posting solid shooting splits of 7-of-16 from the field, 1-of-2 from three, and 6-of-8 from the line.
Veteran gunner Terrence Fortea scored 17 in just 15 minutes on a 5-of-7 clip from deep, while fellow super-senior Harold Alarcon added 15 points on 9-of-10 free throws, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
In what was supposed to be a head-to-head battle of top transferees, Noy Remogat shrank in the shadow of Cortez and Baclaan, going quiet with just 4 points and 5 assists in 21 minutes.
The Scores
La Salle 106 – Cortez 31, Baclaan 20, Pablo 11, Amos 9, Phillips 8, Gollena 6, Nwankwo 6, Marasigan 6, Dungo 5, Macalalag 4, Melencio 0.
UP 99 – Nnoruka 21, Fortea 17, Alarcon 15, Torres 9, Gagate 8, Abadiano 6, Belmonte 5, Stevens 4, Remogat 4, Briones 4, Felicilda 3, Yniguez 3, Alter 0, Coronel 0.
Quarters: 30-24, 60-62, 89-83, 106-99.
– Rappler.com
