La Salle earns controversial win over Adamson

By Josiah Albelda Posted Jul 24th 2013

It was a scene all too familiar.

Until Jeron Teng made free-throws. And Gian Abrigo was called for an unsportsmanlike foul.

De La Salle University saw its huge lead evaporate in the last five mintues but held on for a controversial 70-67 win in the 76th UAAP men's basketball tournament Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Archers rode on a scorching start to ground the Soaring Falcons early, but it took two free-throws from Teng and a contested unsportsmanlike by Abrigo for the Taft five to seal the win.

Despite the escape, La Salle coach Juno Sauler wasn't happy with the way his team squandered a big lead for the third straight game.

"I am not satisfied with how we finished this game," Sauler said. "We should learn how to play for four quarters."

The Archers showed once more they could play great basketball for 35 minutes, erecting a 65-50 lead with 5:25 remaining off a basket by Arnold van Opstal.

But it all went downhill for them as Abrigo starred in a whopping 15-0 run that allowed the Falcons to tie the game at 65-all with a little over a minute left on the clock.

Abrigo, though, turned from hero to goat after turning the ball over with 36.2 seconds left and being called for a questionable unsportsmanlike foul on Norbert Torres with 20 seconds remaining.

Abrigo and Torres were jostling for position when referee Francisco Olivar whistled Abrigo for an unsportsmanlike foul.

Torres then went on to make both free-throw attempts and added one more freebie as La Salle snapped a two-game losing streak.

Five Archers finished in double figures led by Torres and rookie Jason Perkins while Teng, Almond Vosotros and Arnold van Opstal combined for 33 markers.

Reserve Don Trollano paced the Falcons with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to prevent Adamson from falling into a quadruple tie for third with their victims.

The scores:

La Salle (70) - N. Torres 13, Perkins 13, Teng 12, Vosotros 11, Van Opstal 10, Revilla 6, T. Torres 3, Dela Paz 2, Tampus 0, Salem 0, Bolick 0

Adamson (67) - Trollano 14, Cruz 13, Abrigo 10, Cabrera 9, Inigo 7, Brondial 6, Sewa 5, Agustin 1, Rios 0, Petilos 0, Monteclaro 0

Quarters: 18-7, 32-22, 55-42, 70-67