Falcons eye second-round surge

MANILA, Philippines -- After an up-and-down start in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, Adamson head coach Nash Racela is hoping for a UE-esque run for the Soaring Falcons in the second round.

In the last game of the first round, Adamson was stunned by a last-second game-winner by Wello Lingolingo and the red-hot University of the East Red Warriors on Sunday.

In a game that could have gone either way, Lingolingo saved the day for UE with a double-clutched jumper that went off the glass, giving the Falcons their second straight loss and a 3-4 win-loss record at the end of seven games.

For the Red Warriors, though, it is their fifth straight victory in the season as they are sitting pretty at solo third.

After the game, Racela said that while the alternating trend of wins and losses is already broken with back-to-back losses, he is hoping that the second round will be much better for the squad.

“Looking at the bright side, we lost four games but a lot of those were really close games. Even the wins that we had medyo close. Ibig sabihin, the message really is, every game we have a chance. We put ourselves in a good position to compete and try to get wins,” he said.

“The first round we just got three, hopefully, we get more in the second round para magkaroon naman kami ng tsansa. UE was able to do that, and they became our inspiration. Second round, sana mala-UE rin yung performance namin,” he added.

Adamson is currently a half a game away from the Final Four. They are currently trailing the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, whom they defeated in the first round, in the standings.

UST is at 4-3, while the third-seeded UE is at 5-2.

“Well we wanted to be at four, siyempre, I think that’s the target of all the teams. We didn’t get it but the good thing about it moving forward, going to the second round, you’re just a game behind the No. 4. Two games behind UE. Anything is still possible.” he said.

“Of course you just wanted to be in a better position sana. But things happen. Maybe we’re not yet ready to be in that position. We still need to make our adjustments still. Hopefully, we correct that in time. Just like UE, we make our own run,” he added.

Adamson will be kicking off its second round against the Far Eastern University on Saturday, 4 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.