The La Salle Green Archers got the better of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 83-76, in their first meeting in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament. The marquee matchup was Ateneo head coach Louie Alas’s first taste of college basketball’s most storied rivalry, and opposite him was Topex Robinson, whom the veteran mentor praised after the game.
“Credit to La Salle kasi they really prepared well for it. Congrats to Coach Topex [Robinson] kasi ang ganda ng game plan nila, but hindi na kami mag-de-dwell dito. We have to bounce back tomorrow pa lang,” Alas told reporters after the game.
Robinson and Alas worked together for nine years, from 2011 to 2020, as part of the coaching staffs of the Alaska Aces and Phoenix Fuel Masters in the PBA. Wednesday’s rivalry game between Ateneo and La Salle was the first time the two coaches faced off against each other.
Matching Ateneo’s Three-Guard Combination
In Ateneo’s victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons, Coach Alas deployed a three-guard combination featuring Kieffer Alas, Jared Bahay, and Ian Espinosa during crucial moments of the game.
Alas tried the same play against La Salle, but Robinson countered by fielding his own three-guard combination in Jacob Cortez, JC Macalalag, and Joaquin Tovera. This tactic proved effective, especially down the stretch.
“That’s why I told you they prepared well. Before kasi kahit dalawa kasi ‘yung guwardiya ng kalaban namin, we can go body-to-body. But this time, sabi ko nga kanina sa huddle namin, parang tayo ‘yung napagod hindi ‘yung La Salle,” Alas explained. “So, they prepared well. Give credit to them.”
To that end, Alas is right about one thing. Ateneo can’t dwell on its loss to La Salle, as the Blue Eagles will be back in action on Saturday, October 10, when they take on the league-leading FEU Tamaraws. Unfortunately for the Blue Eagles, they will be without Alas, who will be serving a one-game suspension against FEU for incurring three technical fouls for the season already.
