MANILA (UPDATED) — De La Salle University avoided a second-half meltdown and flexed its might over University of the Philippines.

This is after the Green Archers fended off the Fighting Maroons, 88-79, at the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday in front of 13,469 attendees at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Leading MVP candidate Kevin Quiambao led the Taft-based squad to its fourth straight victory with 22 points and 12 rebounds while also putting up three steals and two assists.

Evan Nelle finished with 17 markers, six assists, four rebounds, a steal, and a block, Mike Phillips finished with a 15-point, 12-rebound game, and Jonnel Policarpio and Francis Escandor contributed 11 points each.

DLSU, who already squandered a 14-point lead, saw themselves facing a 75-74 deficit after a fourth-quarter fight back by UP that was capped by a CJ Cansino lay-up with still 4:45 left in the contest.

This is when the 6-foot-8 Quiambao took matters into his hands and went on a personal 10-2 run in the final four minutes to overtake the Katipunan-based squad, 84-77.

Cansino tried to claw back in after he hit a long deuce with only 45 seconds remaining in the game, but Nelle answered back with a dagger trey, the only field goal that was not made by Cansino and Quiambao in the last five minutes.

“We know coming into this game, UP is gonna be the barometer of the season. This is a test of how far we've come as a team. We had a chance the last time we played them, but things didn't go our way. We just came here trying to be the better version of ourselves," said DLSU mentor Topex Robinson during post-game.

Meanwhile, UP was led by Cansino’s 20 points, eight coming in the final quarter, five rebounds, and two steals, and Janjan Felicilda and Harold Alarcon also ended the game in double-digits with 13 and 10, respectively.

The Green Archers improved to 7-3 which puts them a bit closer to the second-place NU Bulldogs who are at 8-2. UP, meanwhile, is now tied with the Jeff Napa-led squad after they fell to 8-2.

The Fighting Maroons played without reigning MVP Malick Diouf and guard JD Cagulangan.

The Scores:

DLSU 88 – Quiambao 22, Nelle 17, M. Phillips 15, Policarpio 11, Escandor 11, Nonoy 3, Abadam 3, Cortez 2, Austria 2, Manuel 2, B. Phillips 0, David 0, Macalalag 0, Nwankwo 0.

UP 79 – Cansino 20, Felicilda 13, Alarcon 10, Abadiano 9, Pablo 6, Briones 5, Torculas 4, Lopez 4, Alter 2, Belomonte 2, Torres 2, Fortea 2, Gagate 0.

Quarterscores: 22-14, 51-39, 66-59, 88-79