In their third assignment of the second round, the DLSU Green Archers head into a rematch against the third-seeded AdU Soaring Falcons, who are positioned right below the league’s top two contenders, ADMU and La Salle.
The Lasallians will hope to continue their dominance early in the second round to improve their 7-2 win-loss record, whereas Adamson, which currently stands at 6-3, will look to bounce back from their first round blowout loss against the defending champions.
First round meeting
The Green-and-White held on to a 12-point win against the Soaring Falcons in their first match-up this season after leading by as much as 24 points at the end of the first quarter. Fresh off his stint in the FIBA Afrobasket, Mbala quickly made an impact in his debut game this season as he spearheaded the offense and defense of the Green Archers. The reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player scored 32 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds and adding four blocks in an outstanding all-around game that overshadowed his eight turnovers.
Santi Santillan was the only other Lasallian who scored in double digits as he notched 10 points to help Mbala on the offensive end. Robbie Manalang, meanwhile, scored 16 points and added two rebounds to lead the Soaring Falcons in a losing effort. Former Blue Eagle Jerie Pingoy struggled the entire game as he finished with just nine points while shooting 20 percent from behind the three-point arc but the point guard did dish out seven assists and had three steals.
It was a game that La Salle dominated from start to finish as it had no deadlocks and the Soaring Falcons’ biggest lead was only a single point. The Green Archers had the advantage inside the paint as they scored 44 points compared to their opponents’ 30 points. The team did commit 26 turnovers, though, which helped the Soaring Falcons crawl back in the game.
Exciting match-ups
Both teams are fresh off a win from their respective previous match-ups. La Salle avenged its first-round loss against UP, while AdU edged the gritty UE Red Warriors late in the fourth quarter through timely baskets from Sean Manganti.
Andrei Caracut and Kib Montalbo will be pitted against Adamson’s agile backcourt. Manalang has been effective in providing ball movement for AdU while Jerrick Ahanmisi continues to be a threat offensively with his ability to penetrate the paint and make perimeter jump shots.
In addition to the Falcons’ well-endowed back court, reigning MVP Ben Mbala will also be hindered by Papi Sarr. The bigman finished with a double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds in their last outing versus UE.
La Salle’s defense will be put to the test against an all-around solid offensive team with the likes of Manganti and the athletic Filipino-American rookie Tyrus Hill. However, despite their skills on the offensive end, Franz Pumaren and his squad will have to focus on defense as they will need to contain Ricci Rivero and prevent a strong performance from Mbala to have a chance at staying at par with La Salle.
As for DLSU, closing out on shooters and maintaining pressure on the ball will be important to lessen AdU’s point production. Still, defense will remain a significant aspect to prevail over the Soaring Falcons. It will be thrilling to see the two teams compete, both with the capability to rack up points on the scoreboard.
The Green Archers and the Soaring Falcons will square off later today at 2 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
