CEDRICK Manzano completed the game-winning three-point play as Adamson came back from 19 points down to score a 56-55 win over University of Santo Tomas on Saturday in the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The hardworking forward caught the inbounds pass from Joaquin Jaymalin and drained the game-tying basket before the go-ahead freebie off a Miguel Pangilinan foul that gave the Soaring Falcons a one-point lead with 7.1 seconds remaining.
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Jamba Garing had one final shot to avert the collapse, but missed three-point attempt from the corner as the Growling Tigers blew the game after leading, 47-28, midway through the third quarter.
Manzano's 19-point and 10-rebound performance made up for the absences of injured Jerom Lastimosa and Vince Magbuhos as Adamson improved to a 4-5 record.
"Ang tawag doon para-paraan. Wala na kaming mapuntahan," said coach Nash Racela.
"It was during halftime that coach Mike Fermin told the players, 'Are you still looking for Jerom and Vince today?' In the second half, we wrote on our whiteboard: 'You miss 100-percent of the shots you don't take.' So kailangan talaga tumira tayo at wag matakot tumira."
Lenda Douanga contributed nine points and 12 boards, while Ray Allen Torres got eight points and four boards.
Jaymalin also stepped up, burying two treys for his six points while adding two assists, as Jed Colonia registered eight rebounds and five assists to go with his four points for the Soaring Falcons.
It was a tough night for Nic Cabanero who made all of his 22 points in the first three quarters but was held scoreless in UST's anemic five-point fourth quarter.
The Growling Tigers stumbled to a league-worst eighth straight defeat to fall to 1-8, on the brink of falling out of the Final Four race.
The scores:
Adamson 56 - Manzano 19, Douanga 9, Torres 8, Jaymalin 6, Sabandal 4, Colonia 4, Barasi 4, Yerro 2, Hanapi 0, Flowers 0, Fuentebella 0, W. Magbuhos 0.
UST 55 - Cabanero 22, Pangilinan 9, Manaytay 6, Manalang 5, Garing 5, Faye 3, Calimag 3, Duremdes 2, Lazarte 0, Gesalem 0, Mantua 0, Herrera 0, Escobido 0.
Quarterscores: 11-17; 19-31; 40-50; 56-55.
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