(UPDATE) DE La Salle University got back at last year’s tormentor University of the Philippines (UP) to reclaim the UAAP men’s basketball title, scoring an 80-72 deciding Game 3 win in their Season 88 finals encounter at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday. Emerging on top of their Big Dance trilogy against the Fighting Maroons, the Green Archers seized their second title in the last three years and 11th overall. It couldn’t be sweeter for the La Sallians whom many fans counted out already after injuries to key players Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan near the second round. The Archers also lost three straight games in the eliminations before winning back-to-back to end the preliminaries and enter the playoffs as fourth seed, ousting the top seed and twice-to-beat National University Bulldogs in their Final Four pairing. Fittingly, Amos and Baclaan, who came back from their injuries just in time for the Final Four, delivered the finishing touches before a crowd of 24,339 boisterous fans. After a Reyland Torres trey that pulled UP within four, 72-76, Amos drained two free throws in the last 26.3 seconds of the tightly contested game that had 16 lead changes. A Noy Remogat turnover then paved the way for Baclaan to deliver the nail in the coffin as he drilled two free throws in the final 14.7 seconds for the final count. Graduating Mike Phillips epitomized the fight for the Green Archers all throughout with 25 points and 18 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 center was named Finals Most Valuable Player. “I just wanna say that Jesus is the real champion,” said Phillips. “He brought us to rock bottom to show us who’s the rock at the bottom.” La Salle’s Topex Robinson was named Coach of the Year. Amos chipped in 11 points, four assists and three rebounds while Vhoris Marasigan added 10 markers. Jacob Cortez turned in nine points, five assists and three rebounds. Remogat fired 21 points including the trey that capped a 7-0 personal run that put UP ahead at 67-64 at the 2:13 mark of the final canto. La Salle went on a 12-2 run from there and grabbed a 76-69 lead following a JC Macalalag breakaway layup in the last 34.9 seconds. Francis Nnoruka pumped in 16 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in a losing effort.