There’s one clear reason why Adamson University head coach Nash Racela brought sharpshooting guard Matt Erolon up from the school’s grassroots program: his brilliance from beyond the arc.
Coming into Wednesday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, the Soaring Falcons were riding a three-game winning streak that could have major playoff implications late in the elimination round.
Then on the day, Erolon showed Racela and the Adamson faithful that he remains steady in the role first entrusted to him: a reliable marksman when the team needs him most.
The Dumaguete, Negros Occidental native missed his first two three-point attempts. But he delivered the game’s most crucial triple, capping Adamson’s thrilling come-from-behind overtime victory over University of Santo Tomas, 97-96.
The shot also secured the Soaring Falcons’ fourth consecutive win in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Erolon finished with a modest nine points on 3-of-9 shooting, but his game-winning three-pointer instantly turned him from zero to hero. He propelled Adamson not only back into Final Four contention but also into twice-to-beat conversation.
“Ang iniisip ko lang ay ‘yon naman yung role ko — kaya ako nandito sa team dahil sa shooting ko. Keep on shooting lang ako kahit magmintis. Pero sabi nga ni coach, hindi pilit kasi alam ko na pag dumadaan sa akin yung bola, may maghe-help. One more pass lang and dumating sa akin,” the 6-foot guard from Dumaguete City said postgame with a sigh of relief.
“Nung nakita ko si Ray [Allen Torres] na umatake, alam ko na iki-kickout niya kasi down by three kami. Nung nakita ko na pinasa niya kay Monty, then yung tao ko which is si Forthsky [Padrigao], nag-help sa kanya at nag-double… Nakita ko ‘yon na pagsalo ko ng bola, shoot with confidence lang ako. All team lang din sa coaches tsaka sa mga teammates ko na naglaro kami as a team.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Erolon’s clutch performance for Adamson was also fueled by another key factor: helping anchor Cedrick Manzano.
Not only did the 23-year-old guard rise to the occasion, but fellow guards Ray Allen Torres and Monty Montebon provided crucial support, allowing Manzano to shine.
The graduating Manzano finished with his usual stat line: 19 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three assists, and two blocks.
Torres scored 15 of his 20 points in the payoff period, while Montebon drained the OT-forcing three-pointer. Then Erolon sealed the comeback with his game-winning triple — completing the Soaring Falcons’ improbable rally from an 80-88 deficit with just 32.2 seconds left in regulation.
“Tinutulungan lang namin si Cedrick in terms of scoring. Pero kung wala talaga, hinahanap lang namin yung tamang play namin at team muna kami bago ang sarili,” Erolon explained.
Racela echoed Erolon’s sentiments, applauding the trio of sharpshooting guards — Erolon, Montebon, and Torres — for showing that Adamson is more than just a defensive-oriented team. It can also light it up from beyond the arc when the game is on the line.
“To be honest, if you look all the other teams, you see three guys in double figures — palaging exploding and it’s not a low double figure, it’s a really high number. If you look at our box score, it’s always one guy scoring. That’s why we struggle offensively and that’s why we have a hard time winning games — we defend well, but our offense is not really the best offense,” said Racela.
“But today, nagulat ako na four guys in double figures. Sana ganito palagi and the next guy nine points. I hope this game gives the other guys confidence and just really seeing why we made the shots — and that was because of the right plays.”
