Adamson University may not have taken home the championship trophy, but they still have a lot to be proud of.
Despite their second-place finish, the Baby Falcons exceeded everyone’s expectations, finishing the elimination round with an impressive 12-2 record and earning the top seed entering the Final Four.
Baby Falcons head coach Mike Fermin, a former head coach of the Soaring Falcons and the Lady Falcons, acknowledged the challenges the team faced throughout the season. Due to the pandemic, the team’s training was conducted entirely online.
Then once they returned to in-person practices, they needed to learn the system all over again. But the players persevered, and their hard work paid off.
Adamson’s impressive performance in the tournament made them the darling of the competition. They knocked off the fourth-seeded University of Santo Tomas, setting the stage for their showdown with Far Eastern University-Diliman. However, the Baby Tamaraws proved to be more mature in the final game, sweeping the Baby Falcons.
Despite the loss, Fermin expressed his pride in the team’s performance.
“It was a successful season for us, even though we didn’t get the ultimate goal of winning the championship. I’m still proud of them,” he said.
“Nobody expected us to be in the top four, but we surprised everyone by finishing first.”
Looking ahead to next season, the Baby Falcons will be virtually intact. However, two of their main players, Matt Edding and Peter Rosillo, will be graduating and joining the Soaring Falcons. Fermin wishes them nothing but the best and is confident that they will excel in college.
“I’m so proud and happy for them. Even though we only had one season together, they were very coachable and cooperative. I know they can make it in college,” he said.
The Baby Falcons may not have won the championship, but their success this season has shown that they are a team to be reckoned with. With a strong core of returning players and promising newcomers, they are sure to make waves in the next tournament.
