La Salle banks on Jacob Cortez for past, present, future

LEADER. La Salle's Jacob Cortez (second from left) takes charge for the Green Archers.

UAAP

With the win, the Green Archers tie the all-time head-to-head record between Ateneo and La Salle at 50-50 after 100 meetings

AT A GLANCE

• Jacob Cortez scored 8 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, leading La Salle to an 83-76 victory over Ateneo in their 100th rivalry game.
• Despite a slow start, Cortez's performance helped La Salle tie the all-time series record against Ateneo at 50-50.
• Cortez is not only a key player but also a mentor to rookie Joaquin Tovera, who contributed significantly to the game while learning from the veteran.

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MANILA, Philippines – In the 100th game of the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry, Jacob Cortez did not look exactly like the star who led the Green Archers to a UAAP championship last year, at least through the first three quarters.

But as usual, Cortez delivered when it mattered most for La Salle.

Cortez scored 8 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Green Archers overcome the Blue Eagles, 83-76, in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball on Wednesday night, October 7.

“I don’t know if you remember a few weeks ago, he (Cortez) let us lose when we played UST,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson, who has steered the Green Archers to back-to-back wins over UE and Ateneo after absorbing a close loss to the Growling Tigers two weeks ago.

“But you have to remember also, several months ago, he won the championship for us.”

La Salle continued to turn to Cortez even after a shaky first three quarters, when he struggled to knock down his usual jumpers and get fruitful drives to the basket. He finished 4-of-13 from the field, along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 turnovers.

“He will always take those shots; that’s what he’s built for. We will always win with Jacob. We will lose with Jacob. And that scenario will never change,” Robinson said.

“He always does the right thing. He always disobeys our sets, but he delivers. What’s important, I guess, is that his teammates around him know that he’s gonna take those shots.”

Down by as many as 7 points in the second half, Cortez gave La Salle life, sparking a 31-18 finishing run in the final 15 minutes of the game that allowed the Green Archers to pull away from the Blue Eagles.

The win also tied the all-time head-to-head record between Ateneo and La Salle at 50-50 after 100 meetings.

But Cortez’s value to La Salle extends beyond what he produces on the court as he has also become a mentor to 18-year-old rookie Joaquin Tovera, who held the fort for the Green Archers while the former NCAA and UAAP champion struggled to find his rhythm.

Tovera led La Salle with 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 21 minutes as Cortez’s backup.

“It’s nice for [Tovera] to be with Jacob in his young career. He gets to learn a lot from his kuya (big brother),” Robinson said.

Robinson said Tovera did not fully understand the magnitude of an Ateneo-La Salle game, but that may have helped relieve some of the pressure on the rookie entering what could be their biggest game of the first round.

“This is an 18-year-old kid who doesn’t even know the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry,” he said. “He was just chilling in the dugout. He doesn’t know the gravity of what he’s doing.”

Aside from Tovera, JC Macalalag also scored 15 points and played a crucial role in limiting Ateneo’s prized rookie Kieffer Alas, who finished with just 5 points.

Cortez and Macalalag, who are both playing in their final UAAP seasons, are expected to pass on La Salle’s championship culture into the next generation led by Tovera.

“These two guys are going to be on their final year. We are really making sure that they will have somebody that’s going to follow their lead,” Robinson said.

For now, Robinson is reminding Tovera that he is playing for a special squad led by a championship-caliber veteran in Cortez.

“I just remind [Tovera] all the time that you’re going to look back at this and tell yourself how blessed and fortunate you are to be a part of this team.” – Rappler.com