De La Salle Green Archers basketball

Men's basketball team of De La Salle University From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The De La Salle Green Archers are the collegiate men's basketball team of De La Salle University, which play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), a collegiate athletic league composed of major universities in the Philippines.

UniversityDe La Salle University
FoundedEarly 20th century
HistoryDe La Salle Green and White (until 1938)
De La Salle Green Archers (since 1939)[1]
Head coachTopex Robinson
Quick facts University, Founded ...
De La Salle Green Archers
UniversityDe La Salle University
FoundedEarly 20th century
HistoryDe La Salle Green and White (until 1938)
De La Salle Green Archers (since 1939)[1]
Head coachTopex Robinson
LocationTaft Avenue, Manila
NicknameGreen Archers
ColorsGreen and white[2]
   
UAAP Championships (11)
NCAA Championships (5)
  • 1939
  • 1947
  • 1956
  • 1971
  • 1974
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History

La Salle was a pre-war founding member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1924.[3][4] La Salle participated in the NCAA for 57 years from 1924 to 1981.[5] The La Salle basketball players were first referred to as the Green Archers during the basketball games of NCAA Season 16 (1939–40), where La Salle made its way to the finals and won against their eventual archrival Ateneo in an upset for its first basketball championship title in the seniors' division of the NCAA.[6] Accordingly, the news reporters who were covering La Salle games at that time coined the team the "Green Archers" due in part to the La Salle players' accurate shooting skills.[7]

The Green Archer statue

La Salle won five NCAA basketball titles – 1939, 1947, 1956, 1971, and 1974. The Green Archers won the coveted National Seniors Open Championship, a league participated by top commercial and college teams, twice in 1939 and 1949.[8][9] In September 1980, La Salle announced its decision to leave the NCAA in a press conference effective after the then ongoing 1980–81 NCAA Season due to a violent basketball game against their archrivals at the time, the Letran Knights.[10]

After bolting out of the NCAA in 1981, the team participated in various tournaments. The Green Archers won the 1983 Philippine Amateur Basketball League (PABL) Championship and 1983 National Open title.[11] La Salle has won three inter-collegiate titles. The school won the 1988 Philippine Intercollegiate Championship. This was later reformatted to become the Collegiate Champions League (CCL), which then became the current Philippine Collegiate Championship League (PCCL) with La Salle winning the championship in 2008 and 2013.[12][13]

The De La Salle Green Archers in 2010

In 1986, La Salle was accepted as a member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).[14] Since joining the UAAP in 1986, the Green Archers have won 11 UAAP basketball titles – 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2023, and 2025. La Salle's basketball program is known for having the most finals appearance with 19, as well as the longest consecutive finals appearance with nine from 1994 to 2002. The program is also known for having won four straight UAAP championship titles from 1998 to 2001.[15] The Green Archers are also known for sharing a rivalry with other competitive teams in the UAAP, especially with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, UST Growling Tigers, and FEU Tamaraws.[16] In UAAP Season 88, the Green Archers became the second fourth seed team to win the title after the NU Bulldogs from UAAP Season 77 in 2014.[17][18] La Salle dethroned the UP Fighting Maroons during the best-of-three series, having lost Game 2 but won Games 1 and 3.[19][20]

The Green Archers won the UAAP Season 85 3x3 basketball tournament in 2023.[21][22] They retained the title the following year in UAAP Season 86.[23][24] They won their third consecutive title in UAAP Season 87.[25][26] In UAAP Season 88, the Green Archers swept the tournament en route to their fourth consecutive championship.[27][28][29]

Prior to the start of the UAAP season, the Green Archers participate in multiple preseason tournaments. In the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup they have won four titles, the latest being the 2016 championship.[30][31][32] The Green Archers participated in the Buddha Light International Association (BLIA) Cup, where they last won the championship in 2017.[33] The Green Archers have also participated in the PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup as EcoOil–La Salle, where they have won three straight championships.[34][35] In the Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup, the Green Archers won their first title in 2024.[36] In August 2024, the Green Archers swept the 2024 World University Basketball Series in Tokyo, Japan.[37][38] La Salle has also participated in the AsiaBasket tournaments. In May 2025, the Green Archers won against the Ateneo Blue Eagles to claim the championship of the 2025 AsiaBasket College Campus Tour.[39]

The team is currently managed by Raffy Villavicencio, Terry Capistrano, Andres Reyes Jr., and Mans Carpio,[40] with International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) chairman and president Enrique K. Razon as the main patron.[41] Topex Robinson serves as the head coach since 2023,[42][43] with Caloy Garcia as the lead assistant coach.[44][45] Other assistant coaches include Marlon Celis,[46] Oliver Bunyi,[47] Renren Ritualo,[48] Mon Jose, Gian Nazario, and JB Sison.[49] Miguel Aytona and Gelo Vito serve as strength and conditioning coaches with Timothy Ting as head nutrionist.[50]

Current roster

Main article: UAAP Season 88 basketball tournaments
More information Players, Coaches ...
De La Salle Green Archers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Year High School
PG 0 Philippines Guillian Quines 6'0" (1.83m) 1st La Salle Green Hills
G/F 1 Philippines JC Macalalag 6'1" (1.85m) 4th La Salle Green Hills
G/F 2 Philippines Vhoris Marasigan 6'3" (1.91m) 2nd San Beda University
G/F 6 Philippines Rhyle Melencio 6'4" (1.93m) 1st De La Salle Zobel
G/F 7 Australia Earl Abadam (C) 6'4" (1.93m) 4th Westfield Sports High School
PF/C 9 Philippines Luis Pablo 6'7" (2.01m) 2nd La Salle Green Hills
PG 11 United States Jacob Cortez 5'11" (1.8m) 3rd La Salle Green Hills
PG 13 Philippines Kean Baclaan 5'7" (1.7m) 3rd De La Salle Zobel
PF 18 Philippines Denzel Dagdag 6'5" (1.96m) 1st Xavier School
G/F 19 Philippines Andrei Dungo 6'3" (1.91m) 2nd University of Santo Tomas
PF/C 21 Australia Mason Amos 6'7" (2.01m) 3rd Brisbane State High School
C 22 Nigeria Bright Nwankwo 6'9" (2.06m) 5th Ebenezer Comprehensive High School
PF/C 25 United States Michael Phillips (C) 6'8" (2.03m) 5th Creekside High School
G/F 32 Philippines EJ Gollena 6'3" (1.91m) 3rd Augustinian Abbey School
PF/C 34 Philippines Lebron Daep 6'7" (2.01m) 1st University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
PG 99 Philippines Gian Gomez 5'6" (1.68m) 1st La Salle Green Hills
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Team manager
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
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Head coaches

Season-by-season records

Until 1997, the UAAP primarily ranked the teams by tournament points using FIBA's method. Starting in 1998, the UAAP primarily ranked by winning percentage. There's no difference in ranking once all games were played, but in the middle of the season, rankings made by these two methods may differ.

Until 1997

More information Season, League ...
Season League Elimination round Playoffs
Pos GP W L Pts GP W L Results
1987 UAAP 5th/8 14 6 8 20 Did not qualify
1988 UAAP 2nd/8 14 11 3 25 1 0 1 Lost Finals vs Ateneo
1989 UAAP 2nd/8 14 11 3 25 2 0 2 Won Finals vs FEU
1990 UAAP 1st/8 14 11 3 25 2 1 1 Won Finals vs UE
1991 UAAP 1st/8 14 12 2 26 1 0 1 Lost Finals vs FEU[a]
1992 UAAP 1st/8 14 11 3 25 2 0 2 Lost Finals vs FEU
1993 UAAP 3rd/8 14 8 6 22 No playoffs held[b]
1994 UAAP 1st/7 12 10 2 22 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs UST
1995 UAAP 2nd/8 14 10 4 24 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs UST
1996 UAAP 1st/8 14 11 3 25 3 1 2 Lost Finals vs UST
1997 UAAP 3rd/8 14 10 4 24 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs FEU
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Since 1998

More information Season, League ...
Season League Elimination round Playoffs
Pos GP W L PCT GB GP W L Results
1998 UAAP 1st/8 14 13 1 .929 — 4 3 1 Won Finals vs FEU
1999 UAAP 1st/8 14 11 3 .786 — 5 4 1 Won Finals vs UST
2000 UAAP 1st/8 14 12 2 .857 — 3 3 0 Won Finals vs FEU
2001 UAAP 1st/8 14 12 2 .857 — 4 3 1 Won Finals vs Ateneo
2002 UAAP 1st/8 14 13 1 .929 — 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs Ateneo
2003[c] UAAP 4th/8 14 7 7 .500 4 2 1 1 Lost semifinals vs Ateneo
2004[c] UAAP 2nd/8 14 10 4 .714 1 5 4 1 Won Finals vs FEU
2005[c] UAAP 2nd/8 14 10 4 .714 2 3 1 2 Lost Finals vs FEU
2006[c] UAAP Suspended
2007 UAAP 2nd/8 14 9 5 .643 5 5 4 1 Won Finals vs UE
2008 UAAP 2nd/8 14 10 4 .714 3 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs Ateneo
2009 UAAP 6th/8 14 5 9 .357 8 Did not qualify
2010 UAAP 4th/8 14 8 6 .571 4 1 0 1 Lost semifinals vs FEU
2011 UAAP 6th/8 14 5 9 .357 8 Did not qualify
2012 UAAP 4th/8 14 9 5 .643 3 2 1 1 Lost semifinals vs Ateneo
2013 UAAP 2nd/8 14 10 4 .714 — 5 4 1 Won Finals vs UST
2014 UAAP 3rd/8 14 10 4 .714 1 3 1 2 Lost semifinals vs FEU
2015 UAAP 5th/8 14 6 8 .429 5 Did not qualify
2016 UAAP 1st/8 14 13 1 .929 — 3 3 0 Won Finals vs Ateneo
2017 UAAP 2nd/8 14 12 2 .857 1 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs Ateneo
2018 UAAP 5th/8 14 8 6 .571 4 1 0 1 Lost 4th seed playoff vs FEU
2019 UAAP 5th/8 14 7 7 .500 7 Did not qualify
2020[d] UAAP Season canceled
2022 (S84) UAAP 3rd/8 14 9 5 .643 4 2 1 1 Lost semifinals vs UP
2022 (S85) UAAP 5th/8 14 7 7 .500 4 1 0 1 Lost 4th seed playoff vs Adamson
2023 UAAP 2nd/8 14 11 3 .786 1 4 3 1 Won Finals vs UP
2024 UAAP 1st/8 14 12 2 .857 — 4 2 2 Lost Finals vs UP
2025 UAAP 4th/8 14 8 6 .571 3 5 4 1 Won Finals vs UP
UAAP totals since 1987 516 358 158 .694 — 97 58 41 11 UAAP championships
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  1. [a]
    La Salle originally won Game 1 of the Finals, but FEU immediately put the game under protest as disqualified player Tonyboy Espinosa still played for a few seconds after being called for his fifth foul. The UAAP granted FEU's protest and ordered a replay, but La Salle did not show up in the replayed game. The UAAP then awarded FEU the game, and the title, by forfeit.[51][52][53]
  2. [b]
    UST won all elimination round games. Based on the rules at that time, they were then named automatic champions, and other teams were ranked by elimination round finish.
  3. [c]
    La Salle fielded two ineligible players from 2003 to 2005, which it claimed to do so unknowingly. However, the admission was made months after learning about the ineligibility.[54][55] The UAAP Board forfeited their 2004–05 championship title and had to return their trophy. As a result, FEU was awarded the men's basketball championship for the 2004–05 season.[56] The Green Archers' team standings from 2003 to 2005 were revoked and La Salle was suspended in the 2006–07 season from all UAAP events.[57][58]
  4. [d]
    Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[59][60][61][62]

Honors

Team awards

Individual awards

Notable players

Uniform

Manufacturer

See also

References

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