POINT guard Adam Doria played his best game of the season, eking out 22 points, including 11 during a crucial stretch in the second period.
The 6-foot guard made up for his bad showing in the past to help lift the Adamson Baby Falcons to a 94-85 swamping of the La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers yesterday at the Blue Eagle gym in Quezon City.
Adrian Manlapaz led with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Baby Falcons, who stayed in contention for a semifinal slot in the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball TournamentThey arranged a playoff for the last semis berth with the Tiger Cubs on Saturday. UST, behind John Lina’s defense on Daniel Celzo in the last 1.3 seconds, frustrated the defending champion Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws, 64-62, to stay in contention for the semis.
CJ Cansino shot 26 points to lead UST to their seventh win in 14 outings and a share of fourth spot with the Baby Falcons.
The Baby Tams took the third semis slot with their 8-6 slate.
“Down ako nu’ng mga past games. Buti na lang nakabawi ako. Grabe ang tiwala ni coach sa akin,” said the 17-year-old Doria.
“We were passive on defense in the first quarter. They were hesitating on doubling and pressuring. I told them in between that if you don’t pressure, you don’t double we won’t win. Good thing they responded. And Adam Doria had a breakout game,” said Baby Falcons coach Mike Fermin.
Jose Sabandal added 13 points for the Baby Falcons, who went on to grab a 27-point spread midway in the third.
Chris Calimag banged in 11 points, while Nat Consejo and Francis Escandor knocked in 10 each for the La Salle-Zobel to end the second round with a 4-10 record.
Earlier, Andrei Dulalia shot 24 points, Agem Miranda had 22 and Shane Dichoso put in 20 as the University of the East Junior Warriors upended University of the Philippines Integrated School, 94-85.