Outmuscled and out-hustled for most of the match, the De La Salle University Green Archers still found a way to break back into the UAAP Finals.
In what has become their signature, the Green Archers pulled off a masterful fourth-quarter blitz to shoot down the Adamson University Soaring Falcons and sprint into UAAP Finals, 82-75, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Physical defense and fearless penetration on offense spelled Adamson’s hot start. The Green Archers were knocked off their usual offensive flow, as the Falcons made it hard for Ben Mbala to get his looks in the first quarter. On the other end, Rob Manalang rattled in long jumpers in transition, while his backcourt tag partner Jerie Pingoy attacked La Salle’s pressure defense. Pingoy found Tyrus Hill on back-to-back rim dives to push Adamson ahead 19-9 with two minutes left in the opening canto.
The Green Archers started getting breaks in the second quarter. All of a sudden, the Falcons’ physical defense was being tagged as excessive, and the Green Archers gained a hefty number of free throws. A dormant Mbala got his rhythm from the free throw line as the Falcons surrendered fouls of all varieties, including an unsportsmanlike infraction on Krisjan Bernardo and a technical foul on Pingoy. The Archers got to within three, 33-36, with a minute left in the quarter, thanks to a slithery Ricci Rivero scoop shot. However, Manalang kept the Falcons afloat with a whirling three point shot right at the end of the half, 39-33.
Adamson’s sweet-shooting Jerrick Ahanmisi found his range in the third chapter, drilling two triples in a run that pushed Falcons to a 52-37 lead. But the Falcons were still locked in heavy foul trouble. Their physical defense lost its edge, as the continuous stream of fouls wore away at Adamson’s morale. Charities from a technical foul called on the Adamson bench brought La Salle to within six, 53-59. Kurt Lojera gave the ailing Falcons a late reprieve, rushing in for a transition and-1 play and giving his squad a 63-54 advantage heading into the payoff period.
The inevitable La Salle run came early in the fourth quarter, with Jollo Go and Aljun Melecio connecting on baseline jumpers to cap an 11-0 La Salle blitz. Ahead 64-62, the Green Archers clamped down on Adamson’s shooters and nourished their lead up to 71-67 following an Mbala short jab in the lane. The last drop in the well of Adamson’s long range scoring fell, with Manalang stepping into a long triple that pulled Adamson to within one, 71-70, with four minutes on the game clock.
They were absent for most of the game, but La Salle’s supporting cast came through in the end. An unlikely triple from Santi Santillan stepped on Adamson’s last gasp of breath and gave La Salle a 74-70 lead. Ricci Rivero then completed a splendid end-to-end sequence to deliver the final nail in the coffin, putting La Salle comfortably ahead, 76-70 with 1:30 left.
The Green Archers are the only team this season to defeat Adamson when the Falcons held a halftime lead.
La Salle head coach Aldin Ayo commended his players for sticking to the game plan and going beyond their respective calls of duty.
“In games like this, you have to the everything you can, sometimes even more to get the win,” thought Ayo. “My players really gave their all and listened to us coaches at halftime. We were focused, especially on defense.”
Leading season MVP candidate Mbala compiled 27 points and 14 rebounds. Transferee Santi Santillan added 15 markers and eight rebounds.
The Green Archers took full advanatge of a 39-5 disparity in free throw attempts, and also corralled 50 rebounds to the Falcons’ 35.
Manalang, Terrence Mustre, and Dawn Ochea played their final game for the Soaring Falcons. Manalang hit four threes en route to 16 points. Ahanmisi led the Adamson with 17 markers. Sarr was limited to just six points and nine rebounds in just 21 minutes of game time.
The Scores:
DLSU 82 – Mbala 27, Santillan 15, Rivero R 14, Melecio 7, Montalbo 5, Caracut 4, Tratter 3, Go 3, Rivero P 2, Baltazar 2, Paraiso 0
ADU 75 – Ahanmisi 17, Manalang 16, Hill 10, Lojera 7, Sarr 6, Bernardo 6, Manganti 5, Espeleta 4, Pingoy 2, Zaldivar 2, Ochea 0
Quarterscores: 11-21, 33-39, 54-63, 82-75
