By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Adamson Soaring Falcons officially clinched their seat in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball Final Four after dispatching the banged-up De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, 80-76, last December 4, 2022.
Entering the game as the huge underdogs against the heavily favored DLSU squad, the Soaring Falcons played with their all to defy the odds and won the game of runs against the Green Archers.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair as both squads answered each other’s scoring spree with the Green Archers first to uncork a double-digit lead courtesy of Mark Nonoy’s insane three-point shooting.
The former Hua Siong College of Iloilo superstar dropped eight points in just seven minutes built from two three-pointers and a twirling layup that provided the early offensive spark for the Green Archers.
However, king Falcon Jerom Lastimosa helped Adamson claw their way back and unleashed another memorable performance in one of the most important games of his career.
Lastimosa finished with a stellar stat-line of 22 points built from 4/10 shooting from downtown, and six big assists.
Trailing 38-51 in the third quarter, Adamson’s superstar went berserk mode and tallied a personal 11-0 scoring run to turn things around and help the Soaring Falcons retake the lead, 57-56.
The Green Archers didn’t back down from the challenge and retaliated with their own scoring barrage at the start of the final frame courtesy of the savvy veteran Evan Nelle who started to dissect Adamson’s defense.
In the first four minutes, Nelle ran the Green Archers’ pick-and-roll offense to perfection and kept Adamson’s backcourt guessing most of the time.
Just when DLSU thought they already took full control of the game’s momentum after back-to-back baskets from CJ Austria with five minutes left, the Soaring Falcons proved they still got enough gas left in the tank and went big in the most crucial stretch of the game.
Adamson ran a well-executed two-man game between Lastimosa and Lenda Douanga that gave the lead back to the Soaring Falcons with only a minute left in the game.
As Lastimosa was sizing up his defender at the top of the key, he waited for the double team and quickly threw a sweet pass to the open Douanga who sank the one-handed perimeter floater.
Adamson topped it off after a Cedrick Manzano shot at the bottom of the ring which further extended their lead to three points, 77-74.
Nelle tried to lift DLSU’s spirits after converting a layup off a steal that trimmed Adamson’s lead to a point, 77-76, but time wasn’t on their side and ended their season with a fifth-place finish.
The Green Archers were without three of their key players: Most Valuable Player (MVP) nominee Schonny Winston & star center Mike Phillips were out due to their respective injuries while Gilas Pilipinas young cadet Kevin Quiambao contracted COVID-19.
Adamson’s win will set them a semifinal clash with the tournament’s top team Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles on December 7, Wednesday, to be held at the Araneta Coliseum.
