Adamson University used a stifling first quarter to set the tone for its 63-54 wire-to-wire win over Far Eastern University, while also snapping its three-game skid in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
The Soaring Falcons scored the game’s first 11 points while holding the Tamaraws scoreless in the first seven minutes and two seconds.
Jorick Bautista eventually made their first basket with 2:58 left, making it 11-2.
By the end of the first frame, Adamson had already built an 18-7 lead.
Entering the fourth period, Adamson was ahead 56-40. Then FEU gave the former a dose of its own medicine, holding them to just a point for the first eight minutes and 44 seconds.
During this, L-Jay Gonzales, Patrick Sleat, and Aeron Bagunu rallied to pull the Tamaraws within nine, at 57-48.
After Oj Ojarikre and Jhon Calisay scored three straight points for the Soaring Falcons, Gonzales and Xyrus Torres nailed back-to-back threes for the Tamaraws to inch within six with 20.1 seconds left, making it 54-60.
However, Matt Erolon made both of his free throws in the ensuing play as Gonzales failed to make his three-pointer on the other end.
“We’re thankful that we won, but we look for consistency in our game. I think the fourth quarter, medyo we failed again. We were the ones leading pero kami pa yung na-rattle,” said Soaring Falcons head coach Nash Racela.
Adamson improved to 4-5, just half-a-game behind the fourth-ranked Ateneo de Manila University, which will play later in the day against University of the Philippines.
Joshua Yerro and Joem Sabandal led the Falcons with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, Calisay also added nine points.
“Yun nga kailangan namin yung consistency, so we need to work on that, lalo na ako, dapat hindi ako nagko-commit ng turnovers, so crucial yun para sa amin kailangan matuto ako doon,” said Sabandal.
It was also confirmed after the game that senior guard Jerom Lastimosa suffered an ACL tear in his left knee.
“I received the medical record last night, confirming that si Jerom ay may full tear sa ACL,” said Adamson athletic director Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM, noting that the MRI result only arrived on Saturday evening.
Lastimosa, last season’s PSBankable Player of the Season, was still in high spirits despite ending his collegiate career not the way he wanted to.
“Hindi naman na-pressure kasi ito ay normal lang para sa lahat ng mga atleta. Wala, mag-move on na lang at mag-focus sa susunod na hakbang kung paano ako makakabalik sa laro,” said the 25-year-old native of Dumaguete, Negros Occidental, who is set to graduate with a degree in Sports Management next year.
FEU, on the other hand, dropped to 3-6, tied with University of the East for sixth to seventh places, but both are still well in the running for a Final Four spot.
Gonzales made 18 points and six assists, Bautista produced 13 points, while Torres had nine points. They combined for a woeful 13-of-41 shooting from the field. The Tamaraws as a team shot 17-of-64, which is good for just 26.6 percent.
Adamson will be back on Saturday against 1-8 University of Santo Tomas, while FEU returns on Sunday against UE,
Both games will be played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
AdU 63 – Yerro 11, Sabandal 10, Calisay 9, Hanapi 5, Montebon 5, Erolon 5, Manzano 4, Ramos 4, Magbuhos 3, Ojarikre 3, Barasi 2, Colonia 2, Barcelona 0, Canete 0.
FEU 54 – Gonzales 18, Bautista 13, Torres 9, Bagunu 5, Tempra 4, Faty 2, Ona 2, Sleat 1, Beato 0, Buenaventura 0, Competente 0, Montemayor 0.
Quarterscores: 18-7, 40-25, 56-40, 63-54.
