August 14, 2025 | 12:00am
TOKYO – It took Korea College a 12 months to attend for the possibility to avenge a stinging defeat to De La Salle College on the World College Basketball Sequence remaining and in a rematch for a similar championship on the Yoyogi Nationwide Stadium right here final Monday, revenge was candy.
The collision course was laid out after each groups swept their first two assignments within the eight-team match that began final Saturday. In a single bracket, the Inexperienced Archers downed Nationwide Chengchi College of Chinese language-Taipei, 89-84, and Japan College Choose, 88-75, whereas within the different group, Korea defeated College of the Philippines, 75-71, and Nippon Sports activities Science College, 68-54. Enjoying with out star guard Harold Alarcon, UP bowed out of rivalry after back-to-back losses to Korea and College of Sydney, 96-77.
Final 12 months, DLSU trounced Korea, 101-86, spoiling 5-11 level guard Moon Yu Hyeon’s 32-point explosion. Moon, who likes to imitate Steph Curry’s “night-night” act, made certain he wouldn’t be denied two years in a row. The spitfire notched 21 factors, together with 3-of-6 triples, and sank an important layup to cease the Archers’ rally from 27 right down to put Korea safely on high, 93-79, with 1:03 left. DLSU had dropped a 12-3 bomb to chop the result in 12 earlier than Moon, who was named match MVP, quelled the rebellion.
Korea raced to a 28-7 lead within the first quarter and by no means seemed again. The Archers fell behind by 27 thrice within the second body then ended the half with a 5-0 run. DLSU unloaded a 12-2 barrage to start out the fourth and continued to place strain on Korea however ran out of time. Korea held on to win, 95-85. Michael Phillips completed with 30 factors, 11 within the fourth as he mixed with Kean Baclaan and Jacob Cortez to place up a last-ditch stand. Baclaan scored 18 and Cortez, 13. Korea took 45 p.c of its pictures from three and related on 13 in comparison with DLSU’s 4. The Archers had extra rebounds, 39-28 but in addition extra turnovers, 20-10. For Korea, Ki Chan Yun scored 26 factors, together with six-of-10 triples, and Donggeun Lee, 13.
