BACK and forth they went, but it was Adamson that just had Lady Luck on its side with a third of a second left over a struggling National University side that has now lost four of its last five games.
UAAP Season 87 was mere milliseconds away, 0.3 to be exact, from its first overtime game after Jolo Manansala scooped a game-tying shot for the Bulldogs at 58-all — one that seemed to land just as time expired in regulation.
READ: Yerro alley-oop the difference for Adamson in defensive battle with NU
Just a fraction of a second restored, however, gave veteran Soaring Falcons Arthur Calisay and Wawa Yerro to pull off a quick inbound alley-oop sequence to win the game in the nick of time.
Surprise, surprise
Late-game heroics never fail to leave players, teams, and fans by surprise.
But no one was more surprised than the man who fired the game-winner himself.
While Yerro couldn’t believe that Adamson deputy coach Gilbert Lao drew that final sequence for him to convert, he never lost faith that he’d be the man to make magic happen in the blink of an eye.
“Nagulat nga ako na sa’kin binigay ‘yung play,” Yerro said in disbelief, adding that he assumed it would be one of their usual suspects in Mathew Montebon, Matty Erolon, or Cedrick Manzano taking the ball in their hands.
“Of course, masaya kasi pumasok. Thank God dahil sa kanya kaya pumasok. Before pa lang nag-timeout, sabi ni coach Gilbert na stay lang kami kasi baka mag-extra five minutes."
“Pero sabi ko kay Calisay, wala nang five minutes ‘to. Tiwala ka lang, 'papasok to.”
Soaring, and scoring, by design
Adamson head coach Nash Racela took a few steps back, literally, by handing Lao the reins in setting up the final play, and figuratively, by having just enough trust in what the Soaring Falcons could pull off when it mattered most.
From there, everything fell into place and Adamson capped a stellar victory down to a tee.
“It was coach Gilbert that drew that play. That’s the dynamics of our coaching staff eh. That’s the responsibility of coach Gilbert. When we were actually playing defense, we were hoping that if they ever make a basket, we still have time," said Racela.
“He was already preparing himself for that (final play). Other teams, if you need a playmaker, coach Gilbert is available. Nakakailan na siya.”
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