Jerrick Ahanmisi scored 24 points for the Adamson Soaring Falcons as they held off a late run to beat University of the Philippines, 80-72, yesterday at The Arena in San Juan in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament.
UP cut Adamson’s lead to just four with 1:33 left when Sean Manganti knocked down a cold-blooded triple.
This is the Falcons’ eighth win in 10 games and earned them the second Final Four slot. The Soaring Falcons also pushed UP down to fifth with their 5-6 slate.
UP went on a huge run in the final frame, cutting the lead to just four with 1:33 left.
Meanwhile, a veteran and rookie cager came up with head-turning performances as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers trounced the University of the East Warriors, 79-68.
Mainstay Marvin Lee tallied a game-high 30 points for the Growling Tigers, who bounced back from their 61-69 loss to the National University Bulldogs.
Lee ‘s output was the most by a Growling Tiger since Ed Daquioag produced 34 back in 2015. And Lee’s eight triples matched the output of Jeric Fortuna in 2010.
Rookie CJ Cansino, on the other hand, became the first rookie in the league in 15 years to come up with a triple double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
Their heroics put life in UST’s bid to reach the Final Four, as the Growling Tiger are now in fourth with their 5-5 win-loss record.
Lee took over from Renzo Subido who could not play because of a left foot injury.
And his backcourt leadership saw Lee banging in 22 of his 30 points in the first half to put the Growling Tigers ahead, 39-33.
UE was ahead in the first period, 7-3, off Jason Strait’s triple when UST answered every basket scored by the Warriors with treys from Cansino, Lee and Mario Bonleon.
The Red Warriors – with Alvin Pasaol leading with 26 points, seven rebounds and three steals – suffered their sixth straight loss to fall to 1-10.
Teammate Philip Manalang had 15 points and eight assists.
Defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles became the first team to clinch a semis berth after they demolished the National University Bulldogs, 79-64, last Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Thirdy Ravena showed the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds and three assists as the Blue Eagles put the Bulldogs down with a 3-7 record.
The scores:
UST 79 — Lee 30, Cansino 20, Huang 14, Bataller 4, Bonleon 4, Caunan 2, Agustin 2, Mahinay 2, Zamora 1, Marcos 0.
UE 68 –– Pasaol 26, Manalang 15, Conner 12, Bartolome 6, Varilla 4, Strait 3, Lacap 2, Guion 0, Beltran 0, Cullar 0, Gallardo 0.
Quarter scores: 17-19, 39-33, 59-49, 79-68.