RJ Abarrientos once again stepped up and played hero ball in crunch time of Far Eastern University’s game against Adamson University on Thursday night.
With 20.9 seconds left in the final frame, Jerom Lastimosa hit a go-ahead triple to give the Falcons a 65-63 advantage.
In the next possession, Abarrientos answered back with a dagger three-pointer of his own with close to nine seconds left in the game. The Tamaraws gained a 66-65 lead and managed to play excellent defense on the other end to secure the tight victory.
After another heroic performance, the 22-year-old rookie claimed that his game-winning shot wouldn’t be possible without the help of the FEU coaching staff and his teammates.
“Unang una, nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord dahil binigyan niya ako ng magandang kamay ‘nung time na ‘yun,” expressed the 5-foot-11 guard. “Siyempre special thanks sa mga coaches sa ginawa nila saking play and sa tiwala na binigay nila sa akin.
“Hindi ko rin magagawa ‘yun kung ‘di dahil sa mga teammates ko. Sila ‘yung nag-set up sa’kin ng good screen and ‘yung pasa ni L-Jay [Gonzales] ‘nun — ‘yun din ‘yung pinaka crucial kasi ilang seconds nalang and si Emman [Ojuola] hinanap talaga ako sa screen. Then finally, nakuha ko ‘yung space na kailangan ko para maipanalo ‘yung game.”
Leading up to the final play by FEU, they first saw Lastimosa hit a clutch shot from beyond the arc to give the Falcons a two-point lead with 20.9 seconds left. Abarrientos insisted that he just put his head down and was eager to answer back in order to lift his team to a victory.
“Before kasi ako nilabas, sinabi na sakin ng mga coaches, ni Coach Olsen, ‘yung puwedeng mangyari after maka-shoot or maka-stop so ‘yun nga naka-shoot na si Jerom,” he shared.
“Siyempre next-play agad ‘yung mentality namin, hindi kami puwedeng mawala agad eh kasi may segundo pa, may oras pa. Kumbaga nasa amin pa ‘yung oras, may chance pa kaming manalo so hindi kami nag-give up. Siyempre ‘di ako gigive up para sa team.”
Abarrientos finished with a game-high 17 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 22 and 49 minutes played.
The former Gilas guard also had a tough individual matchup after being pitted against Lastimosa all night long.
Abarrientos knows that Adamson would bank on the Dumaguete native and a collective effort from the Tamaraws was needed in order to limit Lastimosa’s scoring production.
“Alam namin na isa siya sa mga veteran player ng Adamson and kaya niyang mag-deliver sa fourth quarter, lalo na ‘pag mga last two minutes — mga crucial minutes, talagang siya na ‘yung hinahanap at nasa kanya na ‘yung bola,” said Abarrientos about the Adamson senior, who had 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists in the contest.
“For us, kailangan namin hindi individual defense eh. Kailangan namin team defense para ma-stop siya and ma-stop ‘yung Adamson. Kaya lagi namin sinasabi na magtulungan kami dahil ‘yung basketball is team eh, hindi naman siya ‘yung individual,” he claimed.
“Big respect parin kay Jerom [Lastimosa] dahil alam ko isa parin siya sa clutch players ng Adamson.”
Maybe, a new rivalry was born on this day. Abarrientos versus Lastimosa.
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