UAAP: Joshua Yerro buzzer-beater lifts Adamson past NU

Adamson Falcons celebrate their win over NU Bulldogs on Joshua Yerro’s last second tip in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Adamson turned to Joshua Yerro, who delivered a game-winning shot to bail out the Soaring Falcons against National University in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

At 58-all and with merely 0.3 seconds left on the clock, John Calisay lobbed an inbound pass to Yerro who tipped the ball to the basket for Adamson to escape the gritty Bulldogs.

“Of course, I’m happy it went in. Thank God, it’s because of Him that it did,” Yerro said in Filipino. “Before that, during the timeout, Coach Gilbert [Lao] told us to stay focused because we might go to an extra five minutes. But I told Calisay, there won’t be five more minutes. Just trust, this will go in.”

READ: SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

Yerro finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three steals in the come-from-behind win with Matthew Montebon contributing 15 points.

Anthony Fransman capped a 14-5 run by Adamson, who overcame an NU lead by as much as 11 points, in the third quarter to tie the game at 43-all on the way to eight points and six rebounds.

Mudiaga Ojarikre asserted his dominance in the paint with 17 rebounds as the Falcons improved to a 3-2 card.

Adamson Falcons’ Joshua Yerro. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“It was coach Gilbert that drew that play. That’s the dynamics of our coaching staff eh. So that’s the responsibility of coach Gilbert,” coach Nash Racela said. “So when we were actually playing defense, we were hoping that if they ever make a basket, we still have time. So he was already preparing himself for that [sequence].”

READ: UAAP: Adamson shatters growing myth of UST formidability

“Other teams, if you need a playmaker, coach Gilbert is available. Nakakailan na siya,” Racela joked.

It was an eventful fourth frame with neither teams having too much breathing room and it even looked like the game was going into overtime after a Jolo Manansala’s jumper evened the game at 58-all with 0.3 seconds left.

After tying the game at the end of the third frame, Fransman nailed a floater to give Adamson the lead for the first time in a long while. Montebon sank a big three-pointer with 1:40 seconds left, 56-50.

“I was pretty tired so I was hoping we didn’t have to go to overtime so when the referees were checking how much time we have left, I was just hoping we had a little bit of time to get a shot off,” Montebon said.

Manansala flirted with a double-double in the losing stand for NU with 15 points and nine rebounds. Jake Figueroa added 11 points and six rebounds as Kenshin Padrones finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

NU sank to a 1-4 card but will try to bounce back against University of the East on Saturday after Adamson tries to stay up after a roller-coaster start so far against University of the Philippines, both at the Mall of Asia Arena.