JEROM Lastimosa put the exclamation point in Adamson's impressive 66-58 upset over University of the Philippines, 66-58, in the UAAP Season 84 men's basketball tournament Thursday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The third-year guard drilled the cold-blooded stepback three over the outstretched arms of James Spencer with 23.3 seconds remaining to make it a 62-57 affair, keeping the Soaring Falcons' Final Four hopes alive.
It was the biggest of Lastimosa's 13 points from a 2-of-4 shooting from deep, to go with five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal as Adamson won its third straight and put an emphatic end to UP's historic eight-game win streak.
Didat Hanapi added 12 points and two boards as Joem Sabandal got 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Soaring Falcons, who forced a three-way logjam at fourth place with their 4-6 card.
Adamson looked like a team on a mission from the get-go, erecting a 17-point lead, 30-13, before holding off UP's rally.
The Fighting Maroons got as close as two points, 59-57, after a pair of freebies from Ricci Rivero with 36.8 seconds on the clock, but that only led to Lastimosa's audacious winner that delivered what was easily the biggest stunner of the season.
Rivero led UP with 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals, but missed all of his seven shots from three-point range.
Carl Tamayo chipped in 12 points, eight boards, and two steals, and Malick Diouf got seven points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks as the Diliman side dropped to 8-2 and missed out on the chance to clinch a Final Four spot.
The scores:
ADAMSON 66 - Lastimosa 13, Hanapi 12, Sabandal 11, Manzano 8, Zaldivar 8, Magbuhos 6, Peromingan 5, Colonia 2, Yerro 1, Douanga 0, Jaymalin 0, Erolon 0, Barasi 0.
UP 58 - Rivero 14, Tamayo 12, Diouf 7, Lucero 7, Cagulangan 6, Cansino 5, Spencer 4, Webb 3, Alarcon 0, Abadiano 0, Fortea 0.
Quarters: 20-12, 36-28, 47-44, 66-58.
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