Sweet revenge: Cagulangan shines as UP edges La Salle in FilOil opener 

JD Cagulangan shows the way for the UP Fighting Maroons as they exact revenge on the La Salle Green Archers in a rematch of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball finals

MANILA, Philippines – JD Cagulangan put on a show for the UP Fighting Maroons as they exacted revenge on the defending UAAP champion La Salle Green Archers with an 89-77 statement win in the opening day of the 2024 FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Saturday, May 11. 

Cagulangan knocked down 8 of his 15 attempts from the field, including two cold-blooded baskets down the stretch, to finish with a game-high 19 points, along with 3 assists and 3 steals.

Francis Lopez helped Cagulangan carry UP’s scoring load with 16 points, while Harold Alarcon added 9 for the Fighting Maroons. 

In their first matchup since the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball finals, where La Salle emerged triumphant in three games, UP came out with guns blazing and immediately led by as many as 14 points, 29-15, with still 1:52 remaining in the opening frame.

With reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quiambao at the forefront of its attack, La Salle managed to tie the game at 41-all late in the second quarter, before UP ended the first half on a 5-0 run for a 46-41 halftime cushion. 

It was a tight battle between the two powerhouse teams throughout the second half and with La Salle trailing by just 6 points with under 3 minutes left in the game, Cagulangan took over and delivered a pair of tough buckets to put UP ahead by 10 and pull away from the Green Archers with 1:38 to play.

Quiambao led the Green Archers with a near double-double of 15 points and 9 rebounds before exiting the match with 1:17 left due to a bad fall, where he hit the back of his head on the floor.

Foreign student-athlete Henry Agunanne and Mike Phillips backstopped Quiambao with 13 points apiece in the chippy affair that saw La Salle’s Jonnel Policarpio and UP’s Kingsley Ududo get called for a double technical foul with just 37.8 ticks left in the contest.

Meanwhile, the defending NCAA champion San Beda Red Lions opened their campaign with a 76-69 victory over their rival Letran Knights.

Joshua Tagala was on target from beyond the arc, cashing in 6 of his 7 three-point attempts to wind up with a game-high 20 points for the undermanned Red Lions, who missed the services of Season 99 Finals MVP James Payosing and sharpshooting big man Yukien Andrada. 

On the other side, former St. Clare star Jimboy Estrada made a good account of himself in his tournament debut with the Knights as he paced his squad with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting in the losing effort.  

Like UP and San Beda, the Mapua Cardinals, Perpetual Help Altas, and UE Red Warriors picked up opening-day victories on Saturday.

Incoming Mapua super rookie Chris Hubilla flirted with a double-double of 17 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Cardinals to a 75-67 win versus the LPU Pirates.

Christian Pagaran, meanwhile, erupted for 23 points to power the Altas to a 91-89 double-overtime escape against the JRU Heavy Bombers.

Finally, Precious Momowei recorded a huge double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds to lift the Red Warriors past the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 65-57.

The Scores

First Game

Mapua 75 – Cuenco 17, Hubilla 17, Escamis 8, Jabonete 7, Mangubat 7, Fermin 5, Bancale 5, Abdulla 4, Concepcion 3, Agemenyi 2, Recto 0, Fornis 0, Ryan 0. 

LPU 67 – Bravo 16, Guadana 12, Alattica 10, Barba 6, Aviles 6, Peñafiel 6, Villegas 5, Versoza 4, Moralejo 2, Pallingayan 0, Caduyac 0, Montaño 0, Daileg 0, Fuentes 0.

Quarters: 15-19, 34-31, 55-47, 75-67.

Second Game

Perpetual 91 – Pagaran 23, Orgo 16, Boral 16, Pizarro 11, Nuñez 7, Gojo Cruz 5, Abis 4, Manuel 4, Thompson 3, Sevilla 2, Montemayor 0, Gelsano 0.

JRU 89 – Raymundo 21, Argente 16, Medina 15, Barrera 14, Lozano 8, Panapanaan 5, Ramos 2, Sarmiento 2, Garcia 2, Guiab 2, De Jesus 2, Samontanes 0, Benitez 0, Pabico 0, Ferrer 0. 

Quarters: 22-20, 40-36, 68-55, 77-77 (reg.), 85-85 (1OT), 91-89 (2OT).

Third Game

UE 65 – Momowei 16, Maga 13, Spandonis 10, Galang 10, Lingolingo 5, Cruz-Dumont 4, Mulingtapang 4, Abate 3, Robles 0, Go 0, Mahilim 0. 

Adamson 57 – Mantua 10, Manzano 9, Ramos 8, Anabo 7, Ignacio 7, Dignadice 5, Barcelona 3, Edding 3, Canete 2, Ronzone 2, Fransman 1, Torres 0, Barasi 0, Sicat 0.

Quarters: 18-12, 31-31, 46-42, 65-57.

Fourth Game 

San Beda 76 – Tagala 20, Puno 13, Calimag 8, Sajonia 6, Calimag 5, Alloso 5, Royo 5, Celzo 4, Torres 4, Gonzales 3, Peregrina 2, Songcuya 1, Estacio 0.

Letran 69 – Estrada 16, Monje 14, Montecillo 8, Manalili 8, Javillonar 7, Go 5, Cuajao 5, Ariar 2, Galoy 2, Baliling 2, Pradela 0. 

Quarters: 24-17, 41-39, 61-56, 76-69. 

Fifth Game

UP 89 – Cagulangan 19, Lopez 16, Alarcon 9, Abadiano 8, Belmonte 8, Alter 6, Ududo 6, Torculas 5, Torres 4, Felicilda 4, Fortea 2, Briones 2, Stevens 0. 

La Salle 77 – Quiambao 15, Agunanne 13, Phillips 13, Policarpio 10, Austria 6, David 5, Marasigan 4, Macalalag 4, Abadam 2, Dungo 2, Ogana 2, Cortez 1, Gollena 0.

Quarters: 31-22, 46-41, 69-66, 89-77.

– Rappler.com