Issa Ousseini set a new career high with 26 points as De La Salle University survived a four-set thriller against Adamson University, 25-20, 25-20, 26-28, 33-31, to notch its fourth consecutive win after a 0-4 start in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Cameroon eclipsed his previous career-best of 21 points, which he recorded in La Salle’s first-round win over the Soaring Falcons on March 11, scoring 26 points on 22 attacks and four blocks to lift the Green Spikers into a share of fourth place.
Ousseini’s heroics helped La Salle maintain its resurgence, joining Ateneo de Manila University—which earlier avoided a collapse against University of Santo Tomas—at fourth place, both holding 4-4 win-loss records.
“Gaya ng na-mention ko ng last time na interview, this second round, we will try to be more aggressive in a way. If possible, kung papalarin kami every game, mapanalo namin, okay. Somehow, ganoon naman yung preparation namin na one game at a time, and then we will see kung saan kami pupulutin,” Green Spikers head coach Jose Roque said.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The 47-minute fourth set tested La Salle’s resolve. After opening a 10-6 lead, the Green Spikers nearly let Adamson back into the game, as a crosscourt hit by Richard Besorio tied it at 24-all. La Salle then weathered four set points from the Soaring Falcons before securing the dramatic four-set victory.
Adamson came close to forcing a decisive fifth set with a Leo Coguimbal block and a Lourenz Domingo 1-2 play giving them a slim 30-29 edge, but La Salle had the final say.
The Green Spikers closed out the two-hour, 15-minute contest with a clutch 4-1 run, capped by two Ousseini hits, a Eugene Gloria combination attack, and Rui Ventura’s game-winning off-the-block strike that sent Adamson to its sixth loss in seven games.
“I am a player, so every time that I play, I am hungry to be better than the last game. We were not able to manage our last two sets, but after we caught up, we regained our momentum,” Ousseini said.
Gloria contributed a triple-double performance with 17 points, 20 excellent receptions, and 10 excellent digs, while Ventura added 15 points on 12 attacks and three blocks.
Chris Hernandez managed 12 points on 8-of-29 attacks but contributed 18 excellent receptions and five excellent digs, while rookie setter NJ Bangit orchestrated the offense with 27 excellent sets and two points.
Neil Flores also stepped up in Sherwin Retiro’s absence due to an MCL injury, finishing with 12 excellent digs and 11 excellent receptions.
La Salle aims to continue its winning streak when it faces UST on Wednesday, March 25, still at the Big Dome. The Golden Spikers, currently 5-3, hold a one-game lead over both the Green Spikers and the Blue Eagles.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Adamson, meanwhile, dropped into a tie for sixth and seventh with the University of the Philippines, both squads holding 2-6 records.
Besorio led the Soaring Falcons with 22 points on 19 attacks and two aces, plus 18 excellent receptions and five excellent digs, while Lance Flestado added 11 points.
Joel Menor contributed 10 points on nine attacks and eight excellent receptions, with Maruel Tan and Dan Gutierrez adding eight points each.
The Soaring Falcons will try to bounce back in a matchup against Ateneo on the same date and venue.
