More than just a game, basketball highlights the power of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
This was on full display Saturday night during the intense matchup between De La Salle University and University of the East at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Mike Phillips and Precious Momowei engaged in a fierce one-on-one battle throughout the game. Phillips, the Green Archers’ energizer, finished with an impressive 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal, while the Red Warriors’ Nigerian center collected 21 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
However, beyond their competitive spirits, both players pushed each other to improve during this hard-fought contest, which saw La Salle edge out UE, 77-68, in front of nearly 9,000 fans at the Big Dome.
“Shoutout to him. Even in the heated moments when we were going back and forth, he was like, ‘Hey, keep going, keep going,’ and ‘You got me, I got you back.’ More than the game, it’s just the camaraderie from an energetic guy like him. He really gives me energy as well,” said Phillips in the postgame interview.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Two key moments defined their head-to-head clash, with Momowei posterizing Phillips midway through the second quarter with a thunderous dunk.
Phillips got his payback the next period with a dunk at the 4:06 mark, catching the body of Momowei for a poster of his own.
“Of course, when he made that play, I really felt the UE crowd. Pero sa akin naman, ‘yung mga tinuturo ng coaches, lalo na si Coach Gian (Nazario) at si Coach Topex (Robinson, in those moments, ‘Wag ka munang magretaliate, ‘wag ka munang lumayo sa sistema because gusto mong bumawi agad,” Phillips shared.
“I really just tried to stay the course. We knew UE would make big plays like that; they were going to hit those contested threes. For me, it was about doing my best, staying steady, and focusing on the next play.”
The 6-foot-8, hyper-athletic power forward also credited his battle with University of the Philippines’ Quentin Millora-Brown for preparing him for the matchup against Momowei.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Phillips praised Momowei, who has been pivotal for the surprising Red Warriors, currently sitting solo in third place, even playing no-relief games to help his team’s cause.
“I was really grateful for the matchup with QMB; I think that really helped me prepare for another monster like Momowei,” said Phillips.
“I studied his game more and, more than his skill, he really has that grind mindset. You could see he played 40 minutes in one game and is averaging 30 minutes. As a big man, he’s always active, which takes a lot out of a player. Coming into the game, I had a lot of respect for him, and I knew I needed to bring my A-game to really battle with him.”
