CJ AUSTRIA drained the buzzer-beating triple to lift De La Salle University over Adamson University, 81-78, to end its four-game skid in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament, Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ben Phillips found the sophomore out of University of the East High School last second at the left wing for the game-winner over Lenda Douanga.
That shot capped the Green Archers’ 11-4 game-ending blast with Mike Phillips, Ben, and Austria taking turns in scoring.
“I’ve been telling the boys we can’t lose our poise out there. The shot from CJ there, it was a shot from heaven,” said La Salle coach Derrick Pumaren.
“We worked hard for it. Gonna give it to Adamson even though Lastimosa and Magbuhos didn’t play they still played well,” the second-year Green Archers head coach continued.
The Green Archers improved to 4-6 to join UE, Far Eastern University, and the Soaring Falcons in a four-way logjam for fourth.
Austria finished with 16 points while Ben added 14 points built on three treys with nine rebounds. Mike, meanwhile, got 14 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals.
Mark Nonoy, despite going 1-of-8 from the field, still had eight points, five assists, and four steals.
Leading the Soaring Falcons was Joshua Yerro with 19 points and five assists, while Aaron Flowers had 15 points and five rebounds.
Adamson played without Jerom Lastimosa and Vince Magbuhos for the second straight game, both nursing injuries. La Salle also did not have leading MVP candidate Deschon Winston.