SHARP SHOOTERS: Archers shoot down Falcons, take F4 slot

Games Wednesday:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

3:30 p.m. — Adamson vs Ateneo

6:30 p.m. — UP vs UE

Defending champion De La Salle University barely broke a sweat in crushing hapless Adamson University, 70-45, to clinch the first semifinals seat in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion in España, Manila.

A 25-11 second-quarter explosion broke the game wide-open as the Green Archers racked up their sixth straight win to tighten their grip on the solo top spot with a 9-1 win-loss record.

“These young men did what they’re supposed to do and that’s competing with one of the best programs with coach Nash (Racela) there,” Green Archers coach Topex Robinson said.

“We still have a lot of work to do. They just stepped up and I love that the other guys are stepping up just like the regulars.”

Reigning Most Valuable Player Kevin Quiambao was on fire, scoring 17 points, six rebounds and three assists while Joshua David had 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field for the Green Archers, who completed an elimination round sweep of the nosediving Falcons.

La Salle beat Adamson by 30 points in the first round.

The Falcons, actually, jumped to a 5-0 lead before getting mauled by the rampaging Green Archers to absorb their fourth straight loss. La Salle was up 42-22 at halftime.

Ced Manzano was the lone Adamson player in double figures with 14 points.

Meanwhile, Sean Quitevis made a huge steal and converted an insurance layup with 11.7 seconds left as Ateneo de Manila University beat UST, 67-64, right on its homecourt for back-to-back wins.

Protecting a two-point lead, Quitevis intercepted the inbound pass of Forthsky Padrigao intended for Nic Cabanero for the breakaway layup that put more pressure on the home team.

Kyle Paranada quickly answered with a strong drive to cut the Tigers’ deficit back to two with 7.3 ticks left before Ian Espinosa split his charities on the other end.

UST had one last chance to force an overtime but Chris Koon stripped the ball from Christian Manaytay as time expired for Ateneo’s third win in nine games and tied with Far Eastern University and Adamson.

“I don’t know when the last time in the UAAP you had to play a road game. Of course, I’m used to that throughout my career. Most of the leagues I’ve coached in were home and away but never here, and it was a mystery to us why that happened,” Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin said.

“But it did, and what it required of us was, to really gut it out. And I think this was one of the gutsiest wins we’ve had, you know, in a few years.”

Andrew Bongo scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Ian Espinosa got 11 while Koon and Shaun Tuano had 10 points each for Ateneo. Quitevis only had two points but his basket proved to be the biggest one for the Blue Eagles.

The Tigers, who went down by as many as 13 in the opening period and played sans suspended center Mo Tounkara, dropped their third straight game for a 4-6 slate.

Nic Cabanero and Manaytay led UST with 18 and 11 points, respectively.

The scores:

First game

Ateneo (67) — Bongo 14, Espinosa 11, Koon 10, Tuano 10 Balogun 9, Bahay 8, Porter 3, Quitevis 2, Edu 0, Lazaro 0, Espina 0.

UST (64) — Cabañero 18, Manaytay 11, Padrigao 8, Estacio 8, Paranada 6, Laure 6, Crisostomo 5, Robinson 2, Pangilinan 0, Danting 0, Llemit 0, Acido 0, Mahmood 0.

Quarters: 17-8, 33-25, 48-41, 67-64.

Second game

La Salle (70) — Quiambao 17, David 11, Gonzales 8, Agunanne 8, Austria 6, Gollena 5, Dungo 3, Konov 3, I. Phillips 3, M. Phillips 2, Macalalag 2, Alian 2, Ramiro 0, Marasigan 0, Rubico 0.

Adamson (45) — Manzano 14, Fransman 8, Erolon 5, Ramos 4, Ojarikre 3, Anabo 3, Montebon 2, Mantua 2, Yerro 2, Ignacio 2, Calisay 0, Ronzone 0, Alexander 0, Barasi 0, Dignadice 0, Barcelona 0.

Quarters: 17-11, 42-22, 59-36, 70-45.