MATHEW Montebon finally knows how it feels to be on the wrong end of a game-winner.
“It hurts. You never want to lose like that,” he said on the heels of University of the East’s 63-62 stunner over Adamson on Sunday to end the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
READ: UE remains red-hot as Lingolingo comes to the rescue vs Adamson
“I think it’s our first loss via buzzer-beater in two years that I’ve been here, so it doesn’t feel too good to be on the other end of it.”
Montebon was the one to deliver the heartbreak last season, as the Soaring Falcons kept themselves in the Final Four race with a thrilling 63-61 win over the Red Warriors.
But on Sunday, it was a complete role reversal.
Montebon, however, argued that the San Marcelino side shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place.
“I think there’s a lot of wasted possessions on our part. I think I threw four turnovers which is unacceptable as a point guard,” the 6-foot shooter lamented of the team’s 17 errors as a collective.
“I also think there’s a point where we couldn’t get too many shots cause we’re rushing it. UE hit some big shots, [Wello] Lingolingo started going and then [Ethan] Galang, then they all got into it.”
The Fil-Am guard also could have delivered the dagger, but missed his three which opened the window of opportunity for Lingolingo to make his heroics.
“In the end, the rebounds, they wanted it a little bit more and Lingolingo hit that shot,” he sighed.
Adamson still has surprises up its sleeve
The loss sent Adamson down to 3-4 in the standings, still in the thick of the fight, but now on a two-game losing skid.
With the second round looming, Montebon said that it’s up to the Soaring Falcons to step up, knowing that preseason projections are already thrown out the window and they have definitely earned the respect of their peers.
“I’m proud of my guys for defying what people said and doing better what people thought, but I think we could be in better position, at least four or five wins. I’m happy with where we’re at, but there’s still a lot of room to grow,” he said.
“I think in the second round, every game is going to be close just like that one. So I think we just got to figure out a way to stop wasting possessions and I think I just got to make that shot towards the end.”
“We just got to be ready for the second round and do better. We got to want it more.”
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.
