After a convincing win over the UP Fighting Maroons last Sunday, the DLSU Green Archers followed it up with an 80-74 victory over the AdU Soaring Falcons earlier today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The win gives the defending champions an 8-2 slate with four games remaining in the second round of eliminations of Season 80.
Ricci Rivero led the way for the defending champions with 17 points, while Santi Santillan added 16 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. Ben Mbala was held to just 15 points but did grab 17 rebounds in the winning effort.
Jerrick Ahanmisi and Papi Sarr each scored 17 points to lead the Soaring Falcons in the losing effort.
“Ginawa ko lang yung pinagawa sakin ni coach, yung rebounding and sipag lang talaga,” Santillan commented on his performance.
Even first half
Adamson built an early 8-2 run in the first four minutes of play which gave them confidence to keep up with the defending champions. The Falcons continued to push to attain a nine-point lead. On the other hand, La Salle’s response started with a putback by Mbala late in the quarter. Additionally, Kib Montalbo drained a three-pointer followed by a fastbreak lay-up from R. Rivero to keep La Salle close, 13-17. The initial quarter ended with an emphatic block by Mbala on Sean Manganti as he went for a risky drive inside the paint. Mbala had a couple of blocks to compensate for his subpar offensive performance in the game’s opening minutes.
The succeeding quarter started with an early layup from R. Rivero to cut the deficit to two. Unfortunately for DLSU, Jonathan Espeleta caught fire and started an eight to nothing run of his own through back-to-back threes and a perimeter jump shot. Both teams would then trade baskets, highlighted by a slam by Tyrus Hill as he drove baseline on AdU’s side and an alley-oop from Aljun Melecio to Kib Montalbo on the other end. The Falcons’ final basket of the half was a three-pointer by Robbie Manalang, beating the shot clock and extending their lead back to nine.
From then on, DLSU managed to claw their way back from the charity stripe, shooting 12 out of 18 from the line. Finally, an isolation play from R. Rivero tied the game to close out the first half.
The Green Archers found themselves trailing AdU the majority of the first half until a basket from R. Rivero tied the game at 35 apiece just before halftime. The younger Rivero was also the only double-digit scorer for La Salle in the half, tied with Jonathan Espeleta of the Soaring Falcons. Meanwhile, Ben Mbala was limited to only nine first half points.
Intense second half
The third quarter started with a post play for Sarr and the La Salle defense quickly reacted to it with Montalbo double-teaming the import to come up with a steal. The Soaring Falcons responded to the turnover with two quick jump shots to regain the lead, 39-35 at the 8:42 mark of the period. Kristian Bernardo left the court 43 seconds later after receiving an accidental headbutt from his teammate, Sarr, during a scramble for the rebound. The Green-and-White got their first lead of the game after Mbala made a driving lay-up at the 4:10 mark of the quarter. Both teams continued to exchange baskets, highlighted by a thunderous poster dunk by Hill on Abu Tratter. However, it was La Salle who came out on top at the end of the third period, 58-54.
The fourth quarter saw both AdU and DLSU score at a high rate with each producing 20 and 22 points, respectively. Jerrick Ahanmisi made a field goal 12 seconds into the quarter but Santillian quickly answered back with a lay-up. Melecio and Ahanmisi then exchanged three-pointers but Santillan and P. Rivero combined to erect an eight-point lead for the Green Archers, 67-59, at the 6:41 mark.
Ahanmisi and Manalang each knocked down a three-pointer to trip the defending champions’ lead to two but Montalbo stopped the run with a jump shot. Manalang made another three-pointer at the 4:07 mark to put the score at 69-68. Both teams went scoreless for a whole minute until R. Rivero slammed home an electrifying dunk to break the dry spell. With the momentum swinging the Green Archers’ way, Sarr remained unfazed as he made a lay-up to keep AdU close. An unsportsmanlike foul by Montalbo on Hill’s dunk attempt at the 2:19 mark allowed the Soaring Falcons to regain the lead as Jonathan Espeleta converted two free throws in place of the injured Hill.
Andrei Caracut then knocked down a crucial three-pointer 41 seconds later to snatch the lead back for the Green Archers while Santillan made a layup to give the Lasallians a comfortable four-point lead in the last 36 seconds of the game. R. Rivero converted two free throws after Santillan’s field goal but Sarr answered back with a lay-up to keep the Soaring Falcons in the game. Tratter sealed the win for the Lasallians in the next possession as he converted two free throws to give the Green Archers their eighth win of the season.
“This one’s a character game, a test of character for all of us. Good thing kasi it helped us talaga as a team kasi we played as a team,” said R. Rivero as he emphasized on defense and the team’s ability to stay composed in closing out games.
The Green Archers will play their eleventh game of their Season 80 campaign against the UE Red Warriors on Wednesday, 2 pm, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The scores:
DLSU 80- R. Rivero 17, Santillan 16, Mbala 15, Montalbo 10, Ra. Rivero 7, Melecio 5, Tratter 5, Caracut 3, Baltazar 2, Go 0
AdU 74- Ahanmisi 17, Sarr 17, Espeleta 12, Manalang 11, Hill 8, Lojera 3, Manganti 2, Ochea 2, Bernardo 2, Pingoy 0, Zaldivar 0, Mustre 0, Chua 0, Frias 0
Quarter scores:
13-15, 35-35, 58-54, 80-74
