Despite the much-needed victory in UAAP Season 88, Adamson head coach Nash Racela couldn’t help but dwell on his team’s shaky third-quarter showing that nearly cost them the game.
Adamson may have finally shaken off its nightmarish slump with a much-needed win, but one concern still lingers in the mind of head coach Nash Racela.
“We didn’t do our part in the third quarter. It just shows how explosive UE can be, and it’s something we keep on emphasizing to our players,” Racela said.
The Soaring Falcons came out firing, scoring the first 17 points of the game and building a commanding 20-point lead at halftime.
But the momentum swung drastically after the break as the Red Warriors roared back in the third quarter with a stunning 33-point explosion, even seizing the lead at 58–57 entering the final frame.
Adamson, which piled up 45 points in the first half, could only muster 12 in that dismal stretch.
Still, Racela’s squad refused to fold.
“Buti na lang sa fourth, we were able to recover,” the mentor shared, as the Soaring Falcons clamped down defensively and held UE to just four points and a single field goal in the payoff period.
[ALSO READ: UAAP: Adamson stops bleeding, fends off gutsy UE to claim win no. 2 in Season 88]
It was a statement finish for Adamson, which limited UE to 37% shooting, forced 15 turnovers, and dominated the assist battle, 24–15.
John Abate paced the still-winless Red Warriors with 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while DJ Robles added 14 points and three boards.
“Ang focus lang namin is ‘yung mga controllables. Moving forward, kailangan lang namin mas maging better prepared sa mga ganung games,” Racela added.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.