UNIVERSITY of the Philippines survived a giant scare from a fighting Adamson side, pulling off a 87-78 win in overtime in the UAAP Season 85 men's basketball tournament on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Terrence Fortea hit a three-pointer in the Maroons' 8-0 start in extra time that all but settled a game that should've been over had James Spencer not fouled Joem Sabandal with .1 of a second left in regulation.
Sabandal calmly sank all his three free throws to tie the game at 74-all, but Spencer atoned for that gaffe with a three that sparked the Maroons' 13-point overtime capped by Harold Alarcon's trey with 30.5 seconds left.
[READ: UE Red Warriors snap 15-game winless spell]
"Catch up man or not, what's important is what we can get from it," said coach UP Goldwin Monteverde. "As the season progresses, I think we'll still improve as a team. Ang importante is we have to give importance doon sa mga adjustments."
Zavier Lucero led the Diliman side with 15 points, seven rebounds, and four assists for the Diliman side, which played without Carl Tamayo in the overtime period yet managed to put away its second close game in a row.
Malick Diouf added 13 points, 12 boards, four assists, four blocks, and three steals while Fortea got 12 points, five assists, three steals, and two rebounds as the Maroons fought back from a 16-point halftime hole behind a 21-2 third-quarter blast.
UP looked poised to take the win after taking a 74-71 lead in regulation, but Spencer was whistled for a controversial foul on Sabandal with 0.1 seconds left that led to the tying three pressure-packed free throws.
Tamayo had 11 points and five rebounds but was a minus-15 on the court, which explains his late game benching.
Jerom Lastimosa led Adamson with 25 points, six rebounds, and six assists, but was checked in those crucial moments. Lenda Douanga had 11 points, eight boards, and three blocks as this season's hosts remain winless through two games.
The scores:
UP 87 - Lucero 15, Diouf 13, Fortea 12, Tamayo 11, Alarcon 9, Gonzales 9, Spencer 8, Galinato 3, Ramos 3, Torculas 2, Calimag 2, Abadiano 0.
ADAMSON 78 - Lastimosa 25, Douanga 11, V. Magbuhos 10, Sabandal 10, Hanapi 8, Yerro 4, Jaymalin 3, Manzano 2, Barasi 2, W. Magbuhos 2, Flowers 1, Colonia 0, Torres 0, Barcelona 0.
Quarters: 19-17, 31-47, 58-62, 74-74, 87-78.
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.
