UAAP champ La Salle rides 20-6 opening quarter, blasts Adamson for second win

MANILA, Philippines – The La Salle Green Archers flexed their championship pedigree in the continuation of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, wrecking the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 82-52, at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, September 11.

Reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao ran circles around the hapless Adamson defense, following up his incredible season debut with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block as La Salle rose to a momentary solo standings lead at 2-0.

Doi Dungo, coming off a 2-point debut against NU, exploded for 15 in huge bounce-back performance off a 5-of-5 clip from three in just 14 minutes off the bench.

Foreign student-athlete Henry Agunanne likewise recovered, churning out an 11-point, 16-board double-double in 23 minutes, after disappearing with just 2 points on a 1-of-9 clip against the Bulldogs.

“We weren’t really looking at the score, we were just playing basketball. We tried to keep the energy. That’s why we pretty much used up everybody just to save energy,” said La Salle head coach Topex Robinson.

“That’s just who we are and what we do. We just try to fight our own selves and really challenge us heading to the next game.”

Right out of the gates, the Green Archers rained down on the Falcons’ parade with a dominant 20-6 first-quarter shutdown, leading to a 44-27 pullaway at the half that they never relinquished.

Still unrelenting after intermission, La Salle aggressively hunted its three-point shots to start the third, resulting in a 27-point separation, 64-37, off a Vhoris Marasigan spin jumper in post.

Although Adamson finished the frame with an 8-0 run to enter the fourth down 64-45, the hole it got itself into was just too big to climb out of, as the Green Archers kept the pressure up until the waning moments, highlighted by a Matthew Rubico triple with 22 ticks to play to set the final score.

Cedrick Manzano was the Falcons’ lone double-digit scorer with 15 points, plus 8 rebounds, and 2 assists as they skidded to a 1-1 slate.

The Scores

La Salle 82 – Quiambao 21, Dungo 15, Agunanne 11, Macalalag 9, Marasigan 8, Gollena 7, Ramiro 3, Gonzales 3, Rubico 3, Abadam 2, M. Phillips 0, David 0, Konov 0, Alian 0.

Adamson 52 – Manzano 15, Montebon 7, Anabo 7, Yerro 6, Ojarikre 4, Fransman 3, Erolon 3, Alexander 3, Barasi 2, Mantua 2, Calisay 0, Ramos 0, Ronzone 0, Barcelona 0, Ignacio 0, Dignadice 0.

Quarters: 20-6, 44-27, 65-45, 82-52.

– Rappler.com