EXCEPT perhaps for the San Marcelino faithful, armchair pundits have written off Adamson University in the 85th UAAP basketball tournament.
Soaring Falcons coach Nash Racela is doubly elated that his wards continue to prove their naysayers and unbelievers wrong.
“We’re happy to be in the Final Four. We’re actually gatecrashing the Final Four. People didn’t expect us,” Racela said. “They expected… I don’t know what you call them — big spenders. To me, they’re all big spenders.
“I’m happy that the team did its part to be in this situation. We’ll check our emotions because we don’t want to be on a high. May trabaho pa. We’re still gonna play Wednesday and the weekend,” he added.
Racela spoke after Adamson pulled off a dramatic 80-76 decision over La Salle last Sunday night in their deciding playoff match for the No. 4 slot in the Final Four.
Ace guard Jerom Lastimosa scattered 22 points, on top of six assists for the Falcons, while Joshua Yerro backed him up with 13 markers.
AP Manlapaz and Congolese big man Lenda Douanga also had 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Adamson, which atoned for a 61-67 loss to Ateneo last Wednesday and advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2018.
The Falcons face top seed and twice-to-beat Ateneo in the semis tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
No. 2 and defending champion University of the Philippines, also armed with a win-once edge, takes on third seed National University.
Racela gave the undermanned Green Archers plaudits for giving Adamson fits.
“Credit to La Salle. They really played well from the start hanggang sa huli. That was my halftime talk to them,” Racela said. “The way La Salle played in the first half really showed how important the game was to them.”
