MANILA – Ray Allen Torres torched his former school at the biggest moment, drilling a cold-blooded three-pointer with 2.3 seconds left as Adamson University stunned the University of the Philippines, 62-59, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday night at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Torres, once a Junior Fighting Maroon with UPIS, buried the dagger trey right after Harold Alarcon tied the score at 59, sealing the Falcons’ breakthrough first win of the season and handing the defending champions their second straight defeat.
The sharpshooting guard finished with 10 points, including two triples, on top of two rebounds, two steals, and an assist. AJ Fransman backed him up with 10 points and eight rebounds to earn Player of the Game honors as Adamson nearly squandered a 10-point cushion, 49-39, before surviving UP’s furious rally.
“During halftime, that’s what we told the players, we have to grind this game out, that was really expected. From start to finish dikdikan,” said Falcons head coach Nash Racela.
For UP, Ilonggo guard Gerry Abadiano topscored with 15 points, while Negrense Harold Alarcon and Isagani Stevens added 12 and 10 markers, respectively. The Fighting Maroons, last year’s champions, dropped to 0-2.
In the other game, Ateneo de Manila University avoided a major collapse, fending off a blistering University of the East comeback to eke out a 62-60 victory and remain unbeaten at 2-0.
The Blue Eagles blew a double-digit lead as Wello Lingolingo gave the Red Warriors a 60-58 edge with a clutch triple late in the fourth quarter. But Ateneo answered with Kymani Ladi’s go-ahead trey and a free throw from Dom Escobar with 11 ticks left to hold on.
Ladi powered Ateneo with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Waki Espina chipped in 17. Lingolingo paced UE with 17 points as the Red Warriors slid to 0-2./PN
