Wanting to end their first round campaign with a positive slate, the Adamson University Lady Falcons wasted no time blasting the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, picking up a 68-51 win, Wednesday morning at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
With the win, Adamson moved up to solo fourth – half a game ahead of idle UST Growling Tigresses with a 4-3 slate. However, first-year Adamson head coach Ewon Arayi knows that they could have been in a better position if not for their slow start to the tournament.
“To tell you honestly, medyo hindi pa ako satisfied kasi natalo kami ng La Salle,” said the Philippine basketball legend, as they lost their opening day game against the Lady Archers, 57-72. “Sabi ko nga, kung pinagbutihan namin yung start namin baka 5-2 kami ngayon or 6-1. Pero naniniwala kami na may purpose si God kung bakit ganito standing namin. Sabi ko nga, laban lang.”
Defense was the name of the game for the Lady Falcons to start the game, limiting the struggling Lady Maroons to just five points in the opening frame – two points in the first eight minutes of the contest. By the end of the first stanza, Adamson held an imposing 29-5 lead to end the opening frame and later on an insurmountable 48-10 advantage to end the first half.
Having built a huge advantage, Arayi had a chance to field in her bench in the second half.
“Yung ang goal ko. Sabi ko nga, ‘A win is still a win kahit one point, two points, o ten points’. Hindi naman yun yung goal ko. Ang goal namin is to expose lahat ng players,” Arayi shared. “Maglaro sila na nirerespeto nila yung kalaban nila at may respeto din sila sa laro. E ano naman kung tambakan namin ng isang-daan yan pero hindi ko nagamit yung bench ko, paano naman kami sa second round?
“Paano kung naubos yung starters ko o kaya naman foul-trouble sila? Wala ako mahuhugot. Kinausap ko yung first five ko na bigyan ng pagkakataon maglaro yung bench namin. Hindi naman sa minamaliit ko yung UP pero naniniwala ako na makakatulong ito sa program namin,” she added.
Mariz Cacho and the Lady Falcons bench took advantage, combining for Adamson’s season-high 33 points. Cacho scored 14 points, while Mari Fe Aciro tallied eight points and seven rebounds.
Adamson’s twin towers of Nathalia Prado and Jo Razalo played just 11 minutes each in the contest.
UP’s Cindy Gonzales, for her part, capitalized to help the Lady Maroons cut the lead to a respectable margin.
Jamie Alcoy led the Lady Falcons with 16 points. She was the former leading scorer for Adamson two seasons ago.
“Yun ang maganda kay Alcoy. Sa kanya ko nakita yung leadership. Wala sa kanya kung mag-score siya o hindi. Ang importante sa kanya ay nandun siya,” Arayi beamed about Alcoy. “Hindi natin alam kung two to three years from now maging RP team siya pero ang na-input ko sa kanya ay naging mabuting tao siya. Yun ang nakikita ko sa kanya. Kahit hindi siya nakakalaro, stand tall pa rin siya.
“Siya pa yun nagsasabi na kayo ang binigyan ni coach ng pagkakataon to play, gamitin niyo. Pag hindi, kami papasok. Positibo siya lagi at nahawa rin yung teammates niya,” she furthered.
UP dropped their 23rd straight loss dating back to Season 79.
The Scores:
ADU 68 – Alcoy 16, Cacho 14, Aciro 8, Araja 8, Rosario 5, Prado 5, Razalo 4, Tandaan 2, Osano 2, Camacho 2, Bilbao 2, Cabug 0.
UP 51 – Gonzales 16, Medina 8, Moa 8, Amar 6, Ordoveza 6, Cruz 5, Larrosa 2, Ferrer 0, Rodas 0, Bascon 0, Hidalgo 0, De Guzman 0, De Leon 0.
Quarterscores: 29-5, 48-10, 54-29, 68-51.
