Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Defending champion De La Salle returned to the Finals after upending third seed Adamson University, 82-75, in the Final Four Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The no. 2 Green Archers, who had a twice-to-beat advantage, await the winner of the series between Ateneo and Far Eastern University.
After trailing 63-54 at the end of the third, La Salle mounted a 14-0 run with Aljun Melecio capping it off with a rebound put-back that gave the Green Archers a 68-63 lead with 6:03 left in the game.
La Salle’s lead then ballooned to eight with 52 seconds remaining after Melecio replicated his earlier play that gave the Green Archers a 78-70 buffer.
“We were focused,” said Green Archers head coach Aldin Ayo. “I always tell my players that there are situations that they should do on their own accord. If you want to win, you have to do things that are not asked of you.”
Adamson fizzled in the second half after a strong start, going without a field goal for more than five minutes into the payoff period that allowed La Salle to take over.
When the Falcons finally got their bearings back late in the game, the Green Archers were already hard to stop.
La Salle made a living from the free throw line, making 26 out of 39 attempts off 33 fouls called on Adamson.
The Falcons, on the other end, went 2-of-5 from the charity stripe on the Green Archers’ 12 fouls.
Ben Mbala led La Salle with 27 points, 11 of which came from the free throw line, to go along 14 boards while Santi Santillan added 15 points and eight rebounds.
Jerrick Ahanmisi had 17 points to lead Adamson while Robbie Manalang added 16 points.