SHOULDN'T be surprising anymore, really, but Adamson just matched the longest winning streak in UAAP Season 88.
With their 97-96 overtime win against University of Santo Tomas, not only did the Soaring Falcons complete an elimination round sweep of the Growling Tigers, they also tied the four-game win run set by the University of the Philippines in the first round.
READ: Erolon, Montebon, Torres show way in Adamson OT shocker over UST
Even better, they tied their victims for the fourth seed in the packed playoff picture - and technically, while the two teams are both at 5-4, Adamson is ahead by virtue of this elims blanking.
Still, perhaps their best achievement in Wednesday’s scintillating overtime affair in the middle of the Mall of Asia Arena was total team effort, which head coach Nash Racela has long called for.
“To be honest, if you look at all the other teams, if you look at the box scores, you’ll see three guys in double-figures. But if you look at our box scores, it’s always one guy scoring," he told reporters.
"That’s why we struggle offensively. That’s why we have a hard time winning games.”
Against the black-and-gold, though, the Soaring Falcons' three-headed monster at guard of Mathew Montebon, Ray Allen Torres, and Matty Erolon alternated in turning the tide to their favor late in the game.
Of course, Erolon's cold-blooded triple proved to be the difference - as well as the nail in the coffin of UST's continued downward spiral.
Torres scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including two treys and five crucial free throws.
Meanwhile, Montebon had his hands on everything that went right for the white-and-blue. He came alive at the right time late in the final frame, swishing three triples of his own with his third one at the five-second mark ultimately sending the game to overtime.
Aside from his hot-handed shooting, though, the Fil-Am guard also played facilitator for Adamson, dishing out seven assists, with his last one going out to Erolon, who eventually emerged as San Marcelino's savior.
Adamson guards take turns playing hero
Though his clutch performance would certainly say otherwise, Montebon was nearly hopeless, as they looked down the barrel of an eight-point deficit with 30 ticks to go in regulation.
As he put it, “Honestly, I thought the game was a little bit out of reach,” he admitted. “But coach brought us in, and then he said, ‘Just keep playing,’ That’s what the culture here is, you’re gonna keep playing ‘til the end of the whistle.”
And with these guards granting Racela his much-desired ‘team win,’ the champion coach couldn’t hold back his gratitude, saying, “Today, nagulat ako, four guys in double-figures.”
“Sana, ganito palagi. I hope this game gives the other guys confidence.”
Without a doubt, the Soaring Falcons would need just that, with National U, UP, and La Salle still coming up in their schedule.
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