Green Archers avoid collapse this time to nip Falcons
La Salle finally snapped out of an alarming funk Wednesday, but not without a little controversy.
The Green Archers got off to a strong start then overcame another fourth-quarter meltdown as they hung on for a thrilling 70-67 win against host Adamson in the UAAP Season 76 men’s cage action at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
DLSU was comfortably ahead at 65-50 with 5:25 left before Adamson, behind its reserves, scored the next 15 points to tie it up at 65 with 1:20 remaining, but this time the Archers hung on for the win.
Five players tallied at least 10 points for La Salle, which stopped a two-game bleeding and forged a four-way tie at third with its victim, University of the East and National U, toting identical 3-3 records.
The Archers were protecting a 67-65 lead with 15.9 seconds left when reserve Gian Lloyd Abrigo was whistled for a unsportsmanlike foul on La Salle's Norbert Torres as the two were jostling for position with the ball still to be inbounded.
Torres converted both free throws and added another one after being fouled again to virtually seal the win for the Archers.
The Main Man: Nearly a forgotten man in the team’s last few games, Norbert Torres showed he still remains as one of key Green Archers–in style.
More than shadowing hulking Adamson center Ingrid Sewa, the 6-foot-6 Fil-Canadian also figured in a game-changing play with the 6-foot-2 Abrigo in the final 15.9 seconds.
With La Salle set to inbound the ball, Torres and Abrigo were jockeying for position when referee Francisco Olivar blew his whistle against the Falcons forward that proved as a game-changing call.
Honorable Mention: Coming off the bench, Arnold Van Opstal also had his fair share of shackling the 6-foot-7 Sewa, who was limited to just five points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes of play.
The 6-foot-7 La Salle center also finished with 10 points, highlighted by a bank shot that put them ahead 65-50 before Adamson dropped a searing late-game charge.
Game Turning Point: Banking on a blistering start, the Archers seized control anew and led by as many as 15 points going to the final 5:30 of play.
But the Falcons picked themselves up and clawed back with a 15-to-nothing surge, capped by Abrigo’s two freebies that tied the game at 65-all with 1:20 to go.
Two free throws by Jeron Teng off an Abrigo foul put La Salle ahead anew before things got interesting.
With Adamson still in the thick of things with 15.9 seconds to play, Torres and Abrigo refused to give each other an inch when Olivar suddenly blew his whistle as La Salle was set to make an inbound play. That call–which was ruled out an unsportsmanlike foul–was charged against Abrigo, enabling Torres to troop to the line where he coolly sank both charities for a 69-65 lead.
Adamson officials, notably coach Leo Austria, were clearly disgusted with the call before another free made free throw by Torres virtually settled the outcome going to the last 14.6 seconds.
He Said It:
La Salle coach Juno Sauler: “The officials are doing great actually. I’m still not satisfied on how we finished the game. We committed mistakes in the fourth quarter that we didn’t do in the first three quarters. We just have to learn playing for 40 minutes. I still have to work on that.”
The scores:
La Salle (70) – N. Torres 13, Perkins 13, Teng 12, Vosotros 11, Van Opstal 10, Revilla 6, T. Torres 3, De La Paz 2, Tampus 0, Salem 0, Bolick 0.
Adamson (67) – Trollano 14, Cruz 13, Abrigo 10, Cabrera 9, Inigo 7, Brondial 6, Sewa 5, Agustin 2, Julkipli 1, Rios 0, Petilos 0. Monteclaro 0.
Quarterscores: 18-7, 35-22, 55-42, 70-67
