Camille Naredo

The De La Salle Green Archers celebrate after beating the UP Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball Finals, December 17, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

The De La Salle Green Archers celebrate after beating the UP Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball Finals, December 17, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Article (news)

UAAP Season 88

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="line-height:1.5"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1765970558245viber_image_2025-12-17_18-43-39-364.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The De La Salle Green Archers celebrate after beating the UP Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 88 men&#x27;s basketball Finals, December 17, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/>The De La Salle Green Archers celebrate after beating the UP Fighting Maroons in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 88 men&#x27;s basketball Finals, December 17, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA (UPDATED)— De La Salle University has reclaimed UAAP men&#x27;s basketball championship glory.The Green Archers completed their redemption story after outlasting University of the Philippines, 80-72, in Game 3 of the Season 88 Finals on Wednesday at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.Graduating center Mike Phillips starred for La Salle, putting up a 25-point, 18-rebound double-double in his final game en route to winning Finals Most Valuable Player honors.But there were plenty of heroes for the Green Archers in the game, which saw them trail 67-64 with four minutes to go off a Noy Remogat three-pointer.La Salle responded through Vhoris Marasigan, whose clutch jumper gave La Salle the lead for good before he completed an and-1 play for a 71-67 advantage with just over two minutes to play. UP got within one, 73-72, off two free throws by Remogat, but La Salle came up with six clutch free throws courtesy of Kean Baclaan and Mason Amos, before JC Macalalag scored in transition for a 76-69 lead with just 31.4 seconds to play.&quot;Our adversities really strengthened our faith. This series is a journey worth remembering. We also have to honor and acknowledge UP for bringing out the best in us, but again, grateful and blessed to win another championship,&quot; said La Salle coach Topex Robinson, who has now steered the Green Archers to two titles in three years. They had beaten UP in Season 86, but the Fighting Maroons denied them a title defense in Season 87. They rebounded this year, however, despite a topsy-turvy campaign that saw them go 2-3 in their first five games, while also losing Amos and Baclaan for long stretches to injuries. This is the 11th championship of La Salle in the seniors’ hoops division, and the Taft-based cagers also became the second team in league history to win the championship as the fourth seed since National University in Season 77 (2014).The Green Archers have also finally come out on top of a UAAP men’s basketball Finals trilogy, as they were previously on the losing end to University of Santo Tomas.From 1994 to 1996 — also the last time that the same teams met in the championship round for three straight times — La Salle was on the losing end.Amos contributed 11 points, four assists, three rebounds, and three blocks, while Game 1 hero Jacob Cortez also chipped in nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals, mirroring his father Mike’s feat of winning a UAAP crown.For UP, Remogat led with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Nigeria’s Francis Nnoruka posted 16 points, 15 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.<div> </div><div>The Scores:     </div>DLSU (80) – Phillips 25, Amos 11, Marasigan 10,  Cortez 9, Abadam 9, Baclaan 8, Macalalag 4,  Pablo 4, Gollena  0.     UP (72) – Remogat 21, Nnoruka 16, Torres 11, Abadiano 7, Alarcon 6, Stevens 6, Bayla 3, Alter 2, Fortea 0, Belmonte 0, Yñiguez 0, Palanca 0.       Quarterscores: 19-16, 40-41, 58-59, 80-72.<div style="line-height:1.5"> </div>

#UAAPSeason88 || De La Salle University has reclaimed UAAP men's basketball championship glory. #UAAPFinals

#UAAPSeason88 || De La Salle University has reclaimed UAAP men's basketball championship glory. #UAAPFinals

REDEMPTION: La Salle outlasts UP to reclaim UAAP men’s basketball crown

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REDEMPTION: La Salle outlasts UP to reclaim UAAP men’s basketball crown

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 17, 2025 06:00 PM PHT

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Updated Dec 18, 2025 12:29 AM PHT

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Basketball

UAAP

ABSSports

UAAP Season 88

UAAP Basketball

UAAP Finals

De La Salle Green Archers

UP Fighting Maroons

Mike Phillips

Jacob Cortez

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