NU Bulldogs clinch Final Four spot after thrilling 66-65 escape vs Adamson
The NU Bulldogs are the first team to punch a ticket to the UAAP Season 88 Final Four, pulling off a gritty 66-65 comeback win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
Down by nine in the third quarter, the Bulldogs showed championship composure to rally back in the fourth quarter and stay atop the standings with a 9-2 record, extending their winning streak to three games and returning to the postseason after missing it last year.
Rising star Mark Parks delivered the biggest play of the game, converting a clutch and-one layup with 10.9 seconds left to give NU a one-point lead. His go-ahead basket came after Adamson’s Matt Erolon missed two crucial free throws that could have extended the Falcons’ lead.
Parks’ late heroics didn’t stop there — he also contested Matty Montebon’s potential game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds, forcing a miss that sealed NU’s dramatic victory.
Earlier, Montebon had put Adamson ahead, 65-63, with two free throws at the 37.5-second mark, before a flurry of turnovers and missed shots from both sides set the stage for Parks’ game-winning drive.
Jake Figueroa led NU with 13 points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals, overcoming a cold shooting start to power the comeback.
Parks finished with 10 points, three boards, and two steals, while Paul Francisco added nine points and two assists before fouling out. Reinhard Jumamoy hit back-to-back key triples in the fourth quarter to end with eight points, and Omar John came close to a double-double with seven points and 10 rebounds.
Despite being outrebounded 49-33 and held to just 38.5% shooting, the Bulldogs leaned on their poise and defensive grit to grind out the victory — a testament to their maturity as a top contender.
(Video from the YouTube Channel of One Sports)
For Adamson, Montebon led the way with 20 points on 4-of-9 shooting from deep, along with five rebounds and two assists. Cedrick Manzano produced another solid double-double with 12 points and 10 boards, while Manu Anabo contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. However, the Soaring Falcons fell short once again, dropping to 5-6 and sliding to sixth place after back-to-back losses.
The Bulldogs will look to keep their momentum when they face Far Eastern University on Wednesday, November 12, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Meanwhile, Adamson hopes to end its skid against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday, November 16, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores:
NU 66 – Figueroa 13, Parks 10, Francisco 9, Jumamoy 8, John 7, Manansala 5, Garcia 4, Palacielo 4, Padrones 2, Dela Cruz 2, Enriquez 2, Tulabut 0.
AdU 65 – Montebon 20, Manzano 12, Anabo 11, Torres 7, Ojarikre 5, Fransman 3, Jaymalin 3, Perez 2, Demisana 2, Erolon 0, Medina 0, Tumaneng 0, Cañete 0, A. Ronzone 0.
Quarter Scores: 18-14, 31-30, 40-48, 66-65
