LENDA Douanga saved Adamson in the clutch as the Congolese big man buried the game-winning three to stun National University in overtime, 84-83, Saturday in the UAAP Season 82 men's basketball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The first-year slotman delivered the shocker as he saved the Soaring Falcons in the final 1.4 seconds, hitting the winner from way out at the top of the arc at the buzzer.
That was a fitting ending to his 26-point, 19-rebound and one-block performance as Adamson scored its first win.
"We don't think it was a lucky shot. It was a designed play," insisted coach Franz Pumaren, who looked surprised when the ball swished off the net.
Simon Camacho added a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards, to go with an assist and a block, while Valandre Chauca got 13 points on a 3-of-7 clip from threes, as well as four rebounds before fouling out in the extra period.
Jerom Lastimosa had 10 points, seven dimes and six rebounds, while Jerrick Ahanmisi had 10 points and four boards as the Soaring Falcons avoided going 0-2 for the first time since 2015.
"We needed that win. I guess we're searching for the right combination and I think that's the downside of having a young team and having new guys. We're still searching for our chemistry," said Pumaren.
It was Douanga who forced overtime as he buried the putback off of a missed floater from Camacho in the final 3.3 seconds in regulation to tie the game at 74.
Dave Ildefonso had a chance to win the game for the Bulldogs, but he stepped out of bounds with 0.9 ticks left before the game went to another five minutes.
But he redeemed himself in the overtime period, scoing all of his side's nine points including the tough layup over three defenders that put the Bulldogs up, 83-81 with 1.4 ticks left.
That, however, only made things tougher for NU as Ildefonso saw his career game of 29 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists go down the drain.
Issa Gaye added 16 points and four boards in the tough opener to the season, while John Lloyd Clemente had 11 points and six rebounds.
The scores:
Adamson 84 - Douanga 26, Camacho 14, Chauca 13, Lastimosa 10, Ahanmisi 10, Flowers 7, Zaldivar 2, Fermin 2, Bernardo 0, Yerro 0, Mojica 0, Manlapaz 0, Magbuhos 0.
NU 83 - D. Ildefonso 29, Gaye 16, Clemente 11, Oczon 7, Joson 5, S. Ildefonso 5, Mosqueda 3, Minerva 2, Mangayao 2, Diputado 2, Rangel 1, Tibayan 0, Yu 0, Gallego 0.
Quarterscores: 15-21; 31-30; 54-58; 74-74; 84-83.
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