DLSU ousts ADMU, bags last Final Four spot behind Cortez’s heroics

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Leave the rest to Jacob Cortez and just watch how the game progresses.

Calm and collected, the son of hoops legend Mike Cortez proved why he is collegiate basketball’s “Cool Cub,” delivering a clutch performance to help the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers boot out the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles, 78-72, during the final eliminator of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Nov. 26, 2025, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With the gutsy victory, the Green Archers spoiled the Blue Eagles’ bounce-back UAAP season as they snatched the last Final Four seat to complete the playoff cast with NU, UP, and UST.

After getting punched in the mouth when the Blue Eagles built an 11-point lead in the third quarter, the Green Archers stayed the course and put up a comeback for the ages.

When DLSU needed someone to step up amid the pressure, the duo of Vhoris Marasigan and Cortez answered the call, spearheading the Green Archers’ massive 16-5 scoring avalanche to turn things around and equalize the see-saw affair at 63-all.

Marasigan kicked off DLSU’s come-from-behind effort after attacking Ateneo’s shaded lane in the final 1:59 of the third quarter, while Cortez took matters into his own hands when the most important frame began.

Cortez amped up his production when Marasigan, who was bound for another solid outing, got ejected for an unsportsmanlike foul on Ateneo’s frontcourt anchor, Divine Adili.

Without the driving threat of Marasigan, Cortez blossomed in the fourth period, sinking clutch shot after clutch shot that helped the Green Archers take control of the game.

It was Cortez who tied the ball game at 63-all after knocking down a three-pointer, then followed it up with a perimeter jumper and a sweet assist to JC Macalalag that put DLSU ahead by five points, 70-65, in the final four minutes of crunch time.

Ateneo gave its all and didn’t back down from the challenge when it managed to get even at 72-all, courtesy of Waki Espina and Dominic Escobar’s much-needed baskets. But Mike Phillips broke the deadlock with a putback layup for a 74-72 DLSU advantage.

Off a timeout with 39 seconds left, the Blue Eagles had a chance for the 11th deadlock of the game, but Jared Bahay’s pocket pass to Escobar was read perfectly by Cortez, who completed the biggest defensive stop of the game.

To cap off his stellar outing, Cortez sent Ateneo home with a cold-blooded pull-up perimeter jumper, waving off an incoming screen from Luis Pablo that put him in an isolation island against Espina.

After several rhythm dribbles, Cortez caught Espina off-balance with a quick crossover to his strong side, setting up a pull-up middy to help DLSU increase its cushion to four points, 76-72, with only 13 seconds left.

The Blue Eagles generated two attempts from downtown that would’ve trimmed their deficit to just a point, but both shots—from Espina and Shawn Tuano—rimmed off, giving the Green Archers a morale-boosting dub ahead of the Final Four playoffs.

Cortez wrapped up his insane clutch performance with 20 points, including 12 in the fourth, built on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting from the field, along with seven assists.

Phillips maintained his steady numbers for the Green Archers, chipping in an all-around effort of 13 markers, 16 rebounds, four dimes, and two blocks, while Marasigan added 12 points.

On the other hand, Escobar top-scored for Ateneo with 18 points, while Kymani Ladi concluded his one-and-done season with 13 markers and seven boards.