What must Adamson do to get a win against La Salle?

MANILA, Philippines — The Final Four of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament for Season 80 is a replay of Season 79.

 

Last campaign, La Salle faced Adamson while Ateneo took on FEU (actually, this is the third straight year that the two squads will collide in the semi-finals). The Green Archers dispatched the Soaring Falcons, 69-65; while the Blue Eagles went the full route losing game one, 62-61, to a last shot by Raymar Jose and winning Game Two, 69-68, in overtime.

 

How will both series play out this time? 

Has this Adamson team learned anything in all its matches with La Salle? Since this team was put together, they are 0-5 against DLSU. Now, we’re about to find out.

 

For Adamson to send this to a second match, all the Soaring Falcons need is to play the game of their lives. So this isn’t a look at a series, but what Adamson must do for its first semis match versus the defending champions.

 

Two things: 

1. They need a good start and play consistently for the entire 40 minutes. During their first round encounter, Adamson was blown out in the first period, 36-12. Although they came back with a strong second and third quarters, they were spent come the payoff period and lost, 85-73.

 

In the second round, Adamson started better and got off to a lead, but their play leveled off late in the second and for much of the third. They came back in the fourth but once more ran out of steam; ending up losing, 80-74.

 

So they didn’t start well but finished better. In the second, they started better but levelled off. If you look at their matches that date back to the summer, it’s all the same. That means the team still hasn’t had enough experience due to the addition of all these new parts. 

 

It’s playing consistent ball. 

 

2. Adamson must win the game inside. The stats for both elimination round matches show; Adamson close to La Salle or slightly better than La Salle in a few key statistical categories such as rebounding, and second chance and turnover points. But I believe, for Adamson, they need to win the game inside. 

 

In both matches, Adamson was clobbered inside – 44-30 inside points (first round), and 40-38 (in the second). You might say, Adamson did better in the return engagement but look at this 27-19 free throws in the first round and 29-11 in the next.

 

Look at the fourth period… 

 

Round One: DLSU 10-2, in terms of inside points while grabbing 14-7 rebounds. DLSU shot six free throws to Adamson’s zero. 

Round Two: 10-4 inside points, 11-8 rebounds. La Salle attempted nine free throws to Adamson’s three.

 

When the going gets tough for La Salle, they go to Ben Mbala (and Ricci Rivero who continues to shine). For Adamson to rise to the occasion, Papi Sarr must take the fight to Mbala and fuel his teammates’ fire. He cannot wait for the double teams to arrive but rather must be quick to make his decisions and in attacking. He must make teammates better in a way that Mbala does. It isn’t that simple to put up monster stats. 

 

If you look at Adamson’s matches against its opponents, they have always tried to go to Sarr right away – to establish their inside game and to free up the shooters. But Sarr must make better decisions. 

 

Adamson must get big games from a lot of folks – Sarr is a given -- Jerie Pingoy, Rob Manalang, Jerick Ahanmisi, Sean Manganti, and even Simon Camacho and Kristian Bernardo. If they can get Dawn Ochea untracked, he can hurt La Salle from outside and inside. If Tyrus Hill can show up too. Sometimes, I get the feeling, the only players who want to gird for battle are Pingoy, Ochea and Kurt Lojera.

 

A lot of ifs. But the Falcons will need turn them into a reality if they want to defeat La Salle.

 

As for La Salle, they are in their element – the big games. Since last year, this team has shown its cards from the get-go. There are not much nuances to what they do. As Aldin Ayo said, “Kayo ang mag-adjust. Alam niyo na kung ano kami at sino kami.”