UAAP Action: Falcons foil Archers; Warriors score

MANILA—Adamson got away with a 66-58 triumph against a La Salle side that self-destructed in the endgame of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Falcons, who climbed to a share of second at 4-2, struck with several shot-clock beaters in the closing minutes even as the Archers either missed unmolested attempts or turned the ball over on the other end.

“This is our luckiest day,” said Adamson coach Leo Austria. “They missed a lot of wide open shots. We had a low-percentage shooting (34.4 percent), but we still won. Maybe it’s also because of our defense.”

University of the East also pulled off a dramatic first victory as the Warriors rose from 10 points down in the last four minutes to stun National University, 72-71.

The Bulldogs had several chances to take the game but NU’s star rookie Ray Parks missed two free throws with 7.7 seconds left, then missed on a putback after grabbing the rebound off his own miss.

La Salle slipped to fourth at 3-3, while NU dropped to 2-5 just a week after it stunned Adamson, 63-56.

Meanwhile, defending champion Ateneo shoots for a seven-game sweep of the first round versus FEU at 3 p.m. today also at the Smart Dome.

Preceding the rematch of last year’s Finals is the 1 p.m. game between the University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines, both tied at 2-3.

Lester Alvarez unloaded five triples, the most in a single game this season, to lead the Falcons with 18 points.

Janus Lozada had 14 markers, including a key triple with 80 seconds remaining that pushed the Falcons ahead, 64-58, from a slim 61-58 gap.

The Warriors rallied from a 58-68 with Ebrahim Enguio drilling seven of his 19 points in the decisive run and Adrian Santos capping the comeback by nailing all his four points in the last 82 seconds.

“Naiyak ako after the game (I cried after the game), they didn’t abandon what we worked on,” said new coach Jerry Codiñera after his rebuilding Warriors averted a winless first round.

“I really thought about a 0-14 (a winless season), but I always focused on what I have, believed that the players can play and that they belong here.”

Paul Zamar fired 20 points to lead the Warriors, who dropped their first six games by an average margin of 16.8 points.

Enguio had 19 points and six rebounds, while rookie guard Roi Sumang delivered with 10 points, four boards, six assits and a couple of steals.

The scores:
First Game
UE 72—Zamar 20, Enguio 19, Sumang 10, Noble 9, Javier 4, Santos 4, Sumido 2, Flores 2, Duran 2, Tagarda 0.
NATIONAL U 71—Parks 23, Ignacio 16, Mbe 13, Labing-isa 7, Celiz 6, Alolino 2, Khobuntin 2, Villamor 0, Neypes 0, Terso 0.
Quarters: 18-26, 41-41, 54-54, 72-71

Second Game
ADAMSON 66—Alvarez 18, Lozada 14, Nuyles 12, Camson 11, Etrone 4, Manyara 3, Brondial 2, Cañada 2, Colina 0, Cabrera 0.
LA SALLE 58—Torres 14, Andrada 11, Marata 9, Vosotros 6, Tampus 4, Dela Paz 4, Villanueva 4, Revilla 2, Paredes 2, Atkins 2, Van Opstal 0, Webb 0, Mendoza 0.
Quarters: 21-13, 35-23, 49-45, 66-58