UAAP: Falcons force OT, but still fall to Bulldogs

(Updated 5:04pm) The Adamson University Soaring Falcons managed to force overtime against the National University Bulldogs, but an 8-0 run by the host school proved fatal, allowing Bobby Ray Parks and the rest of his team to come away with an 81-77 win, Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, in the first game of the second round of the 75th season of the UAAP. After going dry in the previous five minutes, the Falcons buried four three-pointers in the last two minutes of regulation, and could have won the game, had a well-covered Eric Camson somehow connected on his buzzer-beating attempt. But NU made a decisive 8-0 run to open overtime, before finally handing Adamson its seventh loss this season. “We started off strong during overtime and that was very important for us," said Parks, adding that NU’s second straight overtime game was tough on the team's mental fortitude and condition. The reigning MVP led his team with a game-high 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Emmanuel Mbe added 14 points and 20 boards, while Robin Rono and Mark De Guzman had nine apiece off the bench. "I told them not to lose heart. This is part of our growing pains," said NU head coach Eric Altamirano. "For us to grow, we need these types of games." "It was an ugly win, but we'll take it," chuckled Altamirano. The Bulldogs found Parks open on the right wing to draw first blood, and he proceeded to score six of the Bulldogs' first eight, thanks to NU's patience in their halfcourt sets. EJ Camson hit a long two, and Jericho Cruz chipped in a three-pointer to keep the Falcons close, 8-5. Jansen Rios dropped a floater at the 6:10 mark, but while both offenses cooled off, tempers flared between players. Jeoff Javillonar got into an altercation with Rodney Brodnial, resulting in a technical foul for the former and an ejection for the latter for throwing a punch. The low-scoring first period would later end after an Emmanuel Mbe score, 16-14. Mbe scored on a put-back at the start of the second period, but Allen Etrone replied with a triple for the Falcons, only for Javillonar and Mark De Guzman to hit consecutive treys for the Bulldogs. A bucket by Camson brought Adamson within five though, 24-19, 5:49 left in the second period. Roider Cabrera nailed a three at the 3:38 mark for Adamson, only for Parks to match him on NU's next possession. Neither team would score again from the field, though Cabrera split at the line with under two minutes in the half for a 27-23 tally at the break. In the third quarter, the Falcons were getting stops but couldn't finish on the other end, as two more layups by Cruz rimmed out. The Bulldogs finally put things together on offense as they set up Troy Rosario for a dunk, followed by a breakaway jam by Parks on the next possession, 31-26, three minutes gone by in the third. Denice Villamor scored NU's next five, but Adamson used their quickness to offset their smaller lineup as Camson, Cabrera and Cruz scored on lay-ups to get within four points, 36-32, at the 5:12 mark. But Adamson had difficulty cracking NU's halfcourt defense, and the Bulldogs began to pull away. Parks dropped a triple and a fastbreak bucket en route to six points in a 9-3 run for the Bulldogs with under two minutes remaining. Camson rallied Adamson in reply, scoring four at the rim in a 6-1 burst to close the third period, 46-41. In the fourth quarter, Rono and Parks each converted from downtown, and a bucket by De Guzman gave NU a quick 8-3 run. Cabrera had four of six unanswered for the Falcons, but a rash of turnovers led to seven straight points for Mbe in an 9-1 swing for NU, capped by charities by Parks at the 3:50 mark, 63-51. Camson and Cruz combined for 3-of-4 from the stripe, but a triple by Rono from the right wing with under two minutes to play dampened their comeback hopes. Cabrera replied with his own triple from the top of the circle, their first field goal since 7:44 of the fourth. Camson matched another triple by De Guzman, 69-60, while Adamson could not get any traction on the defensive end. Parks was fouled bringing the ball upcourt and made both from the line. With 25 seconds left, Monteclaro buried a difficult three-pointer. A Bulldogs turnover along the sideline led to an inbounds three-pointer by Cabrera, 71-68, with 18 seconds on the clock. Cabrera made NU pay for a five-seconds inbounds violation with yet another triple to knot the game, 71-all, with 10 seconds left. NU could have gone for a game-winner, but Bobby Ray Parks stepped out of bounds. Camson had a chance to play hero, but his potential game-winner fell short. But it would be an anticlimactic ending for the Falcons, as they were unable to solve NU's dribble penetration and second-chance scoring. Four different Bulldogs cobbled together eight unanswered points for NU, capped by a deuce by Mbe with two minutes to play. Camson scored four as the Falcons found their groove in a final 6-1 spurt in the dying minutes, but they were out of time and could not complete the comeback. De Guzman was fouled at the buzzer, then split at the line for the final scored. Camson top-scored for the Falcons with 23 points and 11 Cabrera put in 22 points and seven rebounds, including five makes from beyond the arc. Cruz tallied 12 points and three steals for Adamson, and starter Jansen Rios notched nine points and two blocks. Adamson did a lot of damage from beyond the arc, making 10-of-22 from long range, or 45.5 percent. The Bulldogs, in contrast, went 10-for-30 from three, or 33 percent. However, the host team edged their opponents in rebounds, 51-36, and assists, 17-13. NU improved to 5-3 in the standings, giving them some confidence headed into Sunday’s game versus the UST Growling Tigers. Adamson on the other hand sank to 1-7, and will face another tough team before the week is over, FEU on Sunday.  - AMD, GMA News The scores: NU 81: Parks 31, Mbe 14, Rono 9, De Guzman 9, Rosario 6, Villamor 5, Alolino 4, Javillonar 3, Singh 0, Neypes 0, Labing-isa 0, Betayene 0 ADU 77: Camson 23, Cabrera 22, Cruz 12, Rios 9, Etrone 4, Monteclaro 3, Cabigas 1, Trollano 0, Petilos 0, Olalia 0, Julkipli 0, Bronidal 0, Agustin 0 Quarter scoring: 16-14, 27-23, 46-41, 71-71, 81-77