Four days after watching a 10-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a heartbreaking loss to University of the Philippines, Adamson University found itself on the brink of another late-game collapse.
This time, however, the Soaring Falcons refused to let history repeat itself.
Adamson held its nerve down the stretch to outlast De La Salle University, 63-60, on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym, closing out the first round of eliminations in third place in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Head coach Nash Racela and his boys once again built a 10-point lead, this time with a minute left in the third quarter. But the Green Archers mounted a 15-3 run to erase the deficit and take the game down to the wire, tying the contest at 58-all with five minutes remaining.
Unlike in their 67-69 loss to UP last Wednesday, though, the Soaring Falcons refused to fold under pressure, even with the deafening cheers of a predominantly pro-La Salle crowd.
With the game knotted at 58 and little time left, Matt Erolon drained the go-ahead three-pointer. Then Manu Anabo put the finishing touches on the hard-earned victory from the free-throw line.
“After that game, I told Monty [Montebon], it’s obvious that they learned something from the UP game,” said Racela.
“The result is different. That’s how you learn, experiential learning. We had to go through that fire for us to be better. Today, we showed resilience. For a while, it looked like we were rattled, but in the end, nagsama-sama sila.”
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
For Erolon, who delivered the biggest shot of the game, the clutch triple was a reflection of the trust Racela and the coaching staff had placed in him.
“For me, wala namang pressure ‘yun kasi alam ko namang ibabalik ako ni Coach Nash kasi ‘yung tiwala na ibinigay niya sa akin,” said Erolon.
Racela, for his part, emphasized that the confidence went both ways as the Soaring Falcons continued to grow under his system.
“At this point, my players should know that I trust them so well. And I see slowly that they’re building trust in me,” Racela added.
For an Adamson program that has endured its share of heartbreaks in recent years, close losses can serve as valuable lessons. And for the 24-year-old senior, the setback against UP may have been the turning point the Soaring Falcons needed heading into the second round.
“‘Yung last game, na-learn lang namin ‘yung mga mistakes namin, and then ‘yun masaya kaming lahat na nakuha ‘yung panalo.”
While Racela continues to temper expectations as Adamson prepares for the second round of eliminations, Sunday’s result showed that the Soaring Falcons are becoming more equipped to handle the pressure of tight games.
There is still plenty of work to be done, undoubtedly. But if Adamson can continue to learn from both wins and losses, the Soaring Falcons may finally be building the resilience needed to get over the proverbial hump.
And if their first-round battles are any indication, going toe-to-toe with teams that have figured in the last three UAAP men’s basketball finals could prove invaluable as they pursue a stronger second-round campaign.
