The Adamson Soaring Falcons had quite the unfortunate start to November. The Falcons began the month with a loss to the UP Fighting Maroons, a perennial nemesis in the second round and in the Final Four. But then, Adamson had the unfortunate distinction of giving the UE Red Warriors their first victory in 742 days.
A matchup against the Ateneo Blue Eagles felt like a make or break situation not just because the Falcons needed to get out of their slump, but also because handing the Blue Eagles a victory could derail their own Final Four chances. Thankfully, Adamson responded with the kind of effort needed at this time of the year.
Nine players scored for the Falcons, with seven players contributing at least six points. It was a balanced effort for Adamson on both ends as the all-hands-on-deck on offense was complemented by a stout group effort on defense that limited the Blue Eagles to below-30 percent shooting from the field.
The Falcons don’t have superstars nor stars to consistently lead them at the moment, but they do have players that can step up when the situation calls for it. Monty Montebon leads Adamson in scoring (10.4 points per game) and steals (2.2 steals per game). Precious Jonah is the team leader in rebounds (8.2 rebounds per game) and blocks (2.8 per game), while Matt Edding has been among the top playmakers for the Falcons (team-best 3.7 assists per game).
However, Adamson’s road to success lies in how the team as a whole plays versus the sum of its parts. Despite their solid effort against the Ateneo, the Falcons are the lowest scoring team in the UAAP (63.7 points per game) and surrender the most points to their opponents (66.9 points per game). Much of this comes as Adamson is a perimeter-oriented team on offense (30.3 perimeter points versus 21.7 paint points). Living and dying from there has had mixed results thus far, yet they remain in the thick of the Final Four race despite the shrinking margin of error.
Their final two games, the first of which will be this weekend against the DLSU Green Archers, could go either way. The Falcons were able to fend off the Green Archers in the first round, but LaSalle is reeling off a heartbreaking loss to the NU Bulldogs and themselves are looking to solidify their Final Four chances.
The preliminary round finale against the UST Growing Tigers should also be interesting, though, as Adamson earned their signature victory over the Tigers earlier in Season 89. UST is currently navigating through their own slump, but they have won two consecutive games. Both teams could have identical records when they face each other, so all bets are off.
Perhaps the Adamson Soaring Falcons should embrace that uncertainty. The race to the UAAP Season 89 Final Four is a pretty close one and teams are feeling the heat. The Falcons have shown their ability to compete and notch key victories. A heartbreaking loss can bend them but they remain unbroken, and that kind of mindset can help Adamson make a big run to the Final Four.
