MANILA, Philippines – Adamson University stifled last year’s runner-up Far Eastern University in the final period and retaliated with blistering offense en route to a 78-59 triumph in the 74th UAAP Men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum Saturday.
The Falcons, on the heels from an opening day defeat over Ateneo, 51-55, pinned the Tamaraws in the last eight minutes with suffocating defense and held them to just four points.
Adamson also flaunted commendable fluidity on the attack, highlighted with back-to-back alleyoops orchestrated by backup guard Jerrick Canada which sparked the end-game onslaught for the Falcons.
Paced by a 22-point explosion byAlexander Nuyles, the Falcons kept the Tamaraws at bay all game long with total domination in rebounds and second chance opportunities.
“We won because of our defense, and we played good as a team,” said the effervescent Adamson head mentor Leo Austria.
The wily wingman Nuyles terrorized in the paint the entire match, giving the Falcons a huge early edge as he punched in 10 unanswered points inside in the first half.
Canada, who stepped up in lieu of the slumping starting playmaker Lester Alvarez, meanwhile, had five of the team’s 15 assists.
Springy bigman Eric Camson also had a huge game with a double-double performance of 12 points and 10 rebounds while marksman Janus Lozaded added six of his eight points in the fourth quarter.
But even as Adamson looked falter-proof this time, the Tamaraws were not one to go down without a fight.
FEU, coming off a big win against La Salle last in the opening day, 74-65, fought from 16-points down to trim the the lead to three, 60-57, on a stunning three point play by RR Garcia with 7:52 in the fourth.
But that was be the last field goal the Tamaraws would score, as they were reduced to a mess in with a series of costly turnovers, possession after possession.
“We were severely outrebounded and we couldn’t recover,” said FEU coach Bert Flores.
The Tamaraws couldn’t get the breaks – managing to just salvage four turnover points and two second chance points compared to Adamson’s 20 and 18.
Reigning MVP RR Garcia finished with another 20-point outing, but contributed three measly points in the payoff period.
Aldrech Ramos, credited for FEU’s last two markers off of three throws with 3:22 to go, had 14 points and six boards.