MATHEW Montebon may be in the minority when he said way back in the preseason that he believes that this Adamson team is good enough to make it to the Final Four.
Lo and behold, and he just proved true to his words.
The 6-foot gunner made sure that his prediction would turn to reality as he scored seven of his 13 points to deliver the 68-55 victory over University of the East on Wednesday as the Soaring Falcons caught the last bus to the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball semifinals
READ: Mathew Montebon out to break preseason projections for Adamson
But it really isn’t rocket science for Montebon as he saw first hand the desire from his teammates to reach the Final Four every single day.
“The confidence is drawn from the work I see from every single person on the team that they put in,” he said.
It’s a massive overachievement considering the roller coaster journey that Adamson had in the buildup to this year due to injuries.
But it only took one glimpse of greatness for Montebon to define the potential that this team had in the pink of health.
“We had one great preseason tournament that gave me a lot of confidence, that was in Bayugan,” he said.
“Just seeing how well we played together as one, it gave me a lot of confidence heading to the season. I know there were lots of ups and downs through our preseason but I trusted the players and the coaches that everything will come together.”
READ: Adamson keeps UE locked out of Final Four, gatecrashes playoff party
And come together, they did as the Falcons side rallied from a 3-7 record and won four of their last five to earn their place in the Final Four.
It also helped that slowly, the players are starting to understand what it takes to compete with the league’s best as Montebon feels that the team is peaking at the right time.
“I’m starting to figure out a little bit what needs to be done. A lot of times when I was confused in my own play and what I can do better, I’m starting to figure it out a little more,” he said.
“It just feels amazing knowing that when I’m not playing well, when Ced [Manzano] isn’t getting his shots down, we have teammates who are willing to step up. It gives me confidence going to every game that even though my shots aren’t going in, we know someone’s gonna step up.”
The job, however, isn’t over and up next in this Cinderella run for Adamson is a monumental beast in defending champion and top seed La Salle, which is holding a twice-to-beat advantage, in the semifinals on Saturday.
Odds may not be in the Soaring Falcons’ favor, but nothing’s impossible in Montebon’s book.
“We just have to play our best game and hope [La Salle] don’t play their best game and see what we can do better. Hopefully, everyone steps up,” he said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
