MANILA, Philippines – Against all odds, the Adamson Soaring Falcons recovered from a 3-7 record in UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball to book a Final Four return, ousting the UE Red Warriors with a 68-55 rout in the fourth-seed playoff at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, November 27.
With the win, the gutsy Falcons won their second of three straight fourth-seed playoffs and arranged a semifinal showdown with defending champion La Salle on Saturday, November 30.
The once-formidable Red Warriors, meanwhile, bombed out with a stunning six-game slide to extend their 15-year Final Four drought.
Veteran forward Ced Manzano saved his best for the big games with a huge line of 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, while spitfire guard Monty Montebon scored 13 with 6 dimes and 3 boards.
“We’re grateful that two out of three knockout games, we were able to advance,” said Adamson head coach Nash Racela. “I said if we need to go through the playoff every year, we’ll go through it.”
“The beauty about it is we really gave ourselves a chance. The players more specifically did their part of getting here, but we still have a job to do.”
Quickly brushing off UE’s 10-2 blitz straight off warmups, Adamson set the tone with a huge 18-0 swing bridging the first two quarters to mount a 20-10 lead that it eventually never relinquished, despite the Red Warriors mounting an honest response to get within 2, 26-24, before intermission.
As has been the recurring theme of their last stretch of games, the Red Warriors just never quite found that extra jolt of offense when they sorely needed it, as Adamson regained a double-digit lead, 43-33, with 6:33 left in the third frame off a 17-9 rally since UE’s second-quarter, 26-24 scare.
To add salt to a weeks-long open wound, Red Warriors star center Precious Momowei suffered a hard crash at the 3:25 mark of the fourth upon biting on a Montebon pump fake, which also got him his fifth and final foul with UE still down 10, 58-48.
Not even a pair of Jack Cruz-Dumont threes after Momowei was stretchered off the floor were enough to revitalize a dejected UE side, as Joshua Yerro drilled the dagger corner three for the 65-51 gap with 1:34 left to play.
Cruz-Dumont, in his final UAAP game, went down swinging with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, while Momowei churned out a 10-point, 11-board double-double in yet another crushing defeat to end a rollercoaster season.
Adamson 68 – Manzano 17, Montebon 13, Yerro 7, Mantua 6, Anabo 5, Erolon 5, Fransman 5, Ojarikre 4, Ramos 3, Alexander 3, Barasi 0, Barcelona 0, Ronzone 0, Ignacio 0, Dignadice 0.
UE 55 – J. Cruz-Dumont 15, Momowei 10, Abate 10, Maga 10, Fikes 9, Lingolingo 1, Galang 0, Wilson 0, Spandonis 0, Mulingtapang 0, Go 0.
Quarters: 16-10, 39-30, 52-40, 68-55.
– Rappler.com
