UAAP Season 85 Men’s Basketball Matches – November 17
The battle for the Final Four heats up as the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball game finally returns after a two-week FIBA break
Austria drops match winner vs Adamson as La Salle snaps four games
CJ Austria saved the day for La Salle as the Green Archers hacked out an 81-78 win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons to fuel their playoff push.
Austria finished with 16 points and drained the game-winning triple at the buzzer to help the Green Archers snap a four-game skid and improve to 4-6.
The Falcons fell to 4-6.
Preview
After a long two-week FIBA break, the second round of the UAAP Season 85 Men’s Basketball Tournament returns with a bang on Thursday, November 17 with a loaded quadruple-header at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Adamson (4-5) vs. La Salle (3-6)
At the curtain raiser at At 11 a.m., the Adamson Soaring Falcons aim to further improve their Final Four chances when they take on the struggling La Salle Green Archers.
Before the league’s two-week break, Adamson, playing without its star point guard Jerom Lastimosa and sharpshooting forward Vince Magbuhos due to injuries, managed a tough 56-55 comeback win against basement dwellers UST Growling Tigers, thanks to the heroics of big man Cedrick Manzano .
Meanwhile, La Salle, which also missed the services of its high-scoring guard Schonny Winston in its previous outing due to a calf injury, absorbed its fourth straight defeat after falling to arch-rival Ateneo in a lopsided affair.
As the Green Archers try to stay in Final Four contention, look for Winston, Kevin Quiambao, Evan Nelle and Mike Phillips, among others, to take a big step in this sure and exciting game on Thursday morning.
NU (7-3) vs UE (4-6)
In the other game at 1:00 p.m., the NU Bulldogs look to retain the No. 2 spot when they clash with the UE Red Warriors.
Like Adamson, NU, led by team captain Patrick Yu, is coming off a huge come-of-behind win before the two-week break, rallying from a 19-point deficit to beat the FEU Tamaraws for its second straight triumph .
UE, on the other hand, suffered a 14-point beatdown at the hands of the top-seeded UP Fighting Maroons in their last game despite a career-best performance from rookie big man Gani Stevens, who erupted for 23 points.
UP (9-1) vs FEU (4-6)
At 4:30 p.m., the league-leading UP Fighting Maroons picked up their seventh straight win against the FEU Tamaraws.
Thanks to the monster outing of reigning UAAP Player of the Week Malick Diouf, who delivered a career-high 23 points, along with 15 rebounds, UP made quick work of UE and became the first team to secure at least one playoff game for a Final Four berth in Season 85.
On the other hand, Bryan Sajonia-led FEU, which is also trying to stay in the hunt for a Final Four berth, failed to extend its red-hot winning streak to five games as it squandered a double-digit advantage to NU.
Ateneo (6-3) vs UST (1-8)
Finally, the Ateneo Blue Eagles look to make it two in a row when they take on the UST Growling Tigers in the nightcap at 18.30.
With five players scoring in double figures, led by Gilas Pilipinas big man and reigning UAAP MVP Ange Kouame, Ateneo proved too much for La Salle and bounced back big from its shocking second-round loss to NU.
Look for the Blue Eagles to rely on another well-balanced attack in this matchup as they try to close in on the Fighting Maroons and Bulldogs and boost their bid for a two-time Final Four berth.
UST, meanwhile, still couldn’t get over the hump, squandering its 19-point second-half lead to Adamson as it dropped its eighth straight shutout despite another 22-point explosion by Nic Cabañero.
– Rappler.com
