Gerry Abadiano made sure this would not be his final game for the University of the Philippines.
Abadiano took charge in the clutch as UP fought back to even the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Finals series with a 66-63 escape over De La Salle University on Sunday, witnessed by 22,412 fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The fifth-year guard from Iloilo relied on his patented mid-range jumper in crunch time, sending the Finals trilogy to a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday at 3:30 PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Hindi ko naman inexpect ‘yung ganitong pangyayari. Siguro sa akin, kung ano lang ‘yung binigay ng depensa kinukuha ko lang. Mas gutom lang kami manalo ngayon kasi talo kami nung Game 1,” said Abadiano, who finished with 17 points, including six in the payoff period, on 7-of-14 shooting from the field.
“Syempre personally, last year ko na, ayaw ko naman na sa last year ko hindi ko ibibigay ‘yung pinaka-best ko, pinaka-best namin,” added the graduating guard from Iloilo City.
Abadiano’s first arrow came as a mid-range jumper that broke the game’s final deadlock at 59-all with 2:31 left.
After a split from the line by Jacob Cortez, Abadiano struck again with a free throw line jumper, which Vhoris Marasigan answered with a layup to keep La Salle within a point, 62-63, with 1:24 remaining.
Then Abadiano fired his final mid-range shot to give the Fighting Maroons a 65-62 lead with 1:02 to go.
Cortez converted one point from a free throw after Sean Alter was called for a technical foul on a loose-ball scramble at the 38.9-second mark, cutting the deficit to 63-65. Abadiano then attempted a layup but was denied by Luis Pablo.
With 23 seconds remaining, La Salle aimed for clutch scorer Cortez, but Jacob Bayla’s suffocating defense forced Marasigan into a contested three-pointer with around six seconds left. The shot rattled out, allowing Francis Nnoruka to secure the rebound and sink one free throw for the final score.
The Green Archers could not mount a final attempt in the last 3.8 seconds.
“We just lived to fight another day. In Coach Gold’s era, I believe this is our first win sa Game 2. But you know, in a best-of-three series, when you lose Game 1… Obviously, the more desperate team has to be the one that’s down 0-1, and I thought tonight we showed that,” said UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon.
This marked the Fighting Maroons’ first win against the Green Archers this season. La Salle had won Finals Game 1, 74-70.
Nnoruka finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks, while Rey Remogat, held to just three points in Game 1, bounced back with 12 points.
Gani Stevens, scoreless in Game 1, contributed eight points and nine rebounds, while Harold Alarcon was limited to five points on 1-of-10 shooting after a 34-point explosion in the opener.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Cortez led La Salle with 16 points and four rebounds, but shot only 6-of-15 from the field.
Luis Pablo added 12 points, six rebounds, and three blocks, while Mike Phillips recorded eight points and 14 rebounds.
Marasigan had eight points and six rebounds but managed just 4-of-16 shooting from the field.
The Scores:
UP (66) – Abadiano 17, Nnoruka 13, Remogat 12, Stevens 8, Bayla 6, Alarcon 5, Felicilda 3, Fortea 2, Yñiguez 0, Alter 0, Belmonte 0, Torres 0.
DLSU (63) – Cortez 13, Pablo 12, Marasigan 8, Phillips 8, Macalalag 7, Abadam 4, Gollena 3, Dungo 3, Amos 2, Baclaan 0, Nwankwo 0, Daep 0.
Quarterscores: 13-20, 35-33, 49-47, 66-63.
