Archers hold off Falcons, gain piece of second place

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion La Salle got back on track as the Green Archers scored a 66-57 disposal of winless Adamson and grabbed a share of second in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tourney at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

Seeking to rebound from their 70-74 loss to Far Eastern last week, the Archers surged ahead to 26-8 early on but squandered it and eventually regained their bearings to secure their eighth win in 11 games and catch the Ateneo Blue Eagles at No. 2.

“We didn’t shoot very well on the floor,” DLSU coach Juno Sauler rued.

La Salle made 22 of their 65 shots (33.85 percent) overall but more glaring was its 3-point inaccuracy – 1 of 17 or 5.88 percent.

“It’s hard to win if you don’t make an open trey. I know you can’t make everything but we’ve all seen the game last night (at FIBA Basketball World Cup), how the Philippines played and treys are gonna be crucial, especially if you’re wide open. So we just have to keep working on the shots and hopefully during ballgames, when wide open, we can knock down a few,” Sauler said.

The Falcons (0-11) actually shot better from beyond the arc, converting eight of 33 tries or 24.24 percent.

Sauler also lamented how the Archers were also slower on their feet and less aggressive than Adamson.

“(There was) lack of energy also on the boards, we nearly had the same number of rebounds as Adamson,” said Sauler, whose wards were actually outrebounded by the Falcons, 49-50.

“Adamson played very aggressive today, they were hustling for every loose ball. Even in transition, we we’re quite slow and gave up too many points in transition. Adamson took advantage of that,” he said.

Stats showed Adamson scoring 13 fast-break points off eight attempts. On the other hand, DLSU managed only four markers in four tries.

Jason Perkins led DLSU with a double-double effort of 16 points and the same number of caroms. Jeron Teng added 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

La Salle appeared ready to blow Adamson away when it seized a 23-8 tear at the end of first and even stretched it to 26-8. But they allowed the Falcons to claw back and cut it to within four points at the interval.

"We have to play more consistent both physically and mentally, probably more mentally,” Sauler added.

Adamson was still in the game in the third, 34-39, until La Salle decided enough is enough and detonated a 16-9 bomb to start their breakaway, 55-43.

Don Trollano fired a career-high 26 points, spiked by three triples as Jansen Rios contributed an 11-point, 11 rebound output.