The DLSU Green Archers earned a twice-to-beat advantage and are back in the Final Four after handing the ADMU Blue Eagles their first loss last Sunday, November 12. La Salle will be pitted against the third-seeded AdU Soaring Falcons, who will look to deny the defending champions a return to the finals.
Head coach Aldin Ayo appears to be comfortable with the current condition and state of his team heading into the post-season. “I think we’re in a very good spot, because we’re peaking at the right time and the players have been very, very responsible in terms of their commitment to our goal.” The win over the Blue Eagles gave the Lasallians momentum heading into the playoffs.
Previous match-ups
The Soaring Falcons gave DLSU a tough match in their second meeting despite losing against the Lasallians in a blowout during the first round wherein Mbala dominated with a double-double performance of 32 points and 10 rebounds, in his return from his stint in the FIBA Afrobasket. “It will be a dogfight. Our last game in the second round was close, it was decided in less than a minute or two, they were up nung end game, but we got the win. So, for sure it would be difficult for us, but we’re going to prepare also against them,” claimed Ayo on his expectations against the Falcons.
Their second meeting featured a stellar performance from Jerrick Ahanmisi and Papi Sarr who each dropped 17 points. The Lasallians were up by only a point with four minutes left to play after Robbie Manalang drained a three-pointer to trim their eight-point deficit. A crucial three-pointer from Andrei Caracut with only 41 seconds remaining gave the lead back to the DLSU. Santi Santillan followed up with a lay-up to give La Salle a four-point cushion; Sarr then responded with a quick basket of his own. However, AdU’s comeback was foiled as free throws from Ricci Rivero and Abu Tratter sealed the win for DLSU.
Semifinals rematch
It will be a repeat of last season’s semifinal match-ups except for a difference in the seedings. La Salle will be up against AdU while ADMU will be facing off against the FEU Tamaraws. The Falcons garnered a 9-5 win-loss card and were persistent all throughout the season. AdU dropped matches only against the top two contenders in the league and a single loss against FEU in their last game.
Franz Pumaren and his squad are well-known for their athleticism and hustle. Ahanmisi and Sarr continue to lead their team in terms of scoring. Meanwhile, the likes of Tyrus Hill, Sean Manganti, and Manalang will provide quality minutes through their ability to penetrate the defense and make jump shots. One thing, however, to watch out for will be the overall health of Ahanmisi and Jerie Pingoy, who start as for the Falcons in the backcourt. While both are expected to play, both were injured in the team’s last game against FEU, and were not able to finish the game against the Tamaraws.
Although La Salle defeated AdU twice during the eliminations, the Falcons still pose a huge threat to the Green-and-White’s aspirations for back-to-back titles. With the season coming to an end, all teams now have had enough experience to build into efficiency and team chemistry to push for the championship.
Moreover, with Adamson’s tenacious style of play, La Salle will need to maintain intensity on both ends of the floor and impose pressure on ball handlers. “We’re not going to back down of any type of physical play. We will keep playing and we need to stick to the game plan,” said Mbala, who was recently once again named as this season’s Most Valuable Player.
The Green Archers and Soaring Falcons will tip-off later today at 4 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
