After what felt like a millennium of waiting, it’s finally here: The La Salle Green Archers are officially stepping into the second phase of their title defense, and it’s time to dance in the Final Four.
The Date: November 30, 2024
The Place: Araneta Coliseum
The Opponent: Adamson Soaring Falcons
Adamson—remember them?—has come from nowhere. They were lingering in the lower half of the standings for most of the season, but in one fell swoop, the Falcons have flown into the Final Four after knocking out the heavily favored UE Red Warriors. And now, the stage is set for La Salle vs. Adamson in the semifinal clash, with the Green Archers holding the glowing scepter of a twice-to-beat edge.
But here’s the thing, in their previous two meetings, La Salle didn’t just beat Adamson. They nuked them to pieces. Let’s break down just how La Salle turned up the heat on the Soaring Falcons and what it means for the rest of the postseason.
Round 1: La Salle’s 30-Point Statement Win (82-52)
From the tip-off to the final buzzer, La Salle dominated. It wasn’t even close. The Archers came out swinging, delivering a first quarter knockout with a 20-6 lead, and Adamson just couldn’t keep up.
By halftime, it was already over, 44-27, La Salle.
And here’s the kicker, La Salle wasn’t just scoring at will. Their defense was swarming, jamming and suffocating. Adamson shot just an anemic 29% from the field and an atrocious 21% from beyond the arc, looking completely out of sync against a defense that was agile, aggressive, and determined to quash and disrupt.
And La Salle didn’t just stop at defense. They cashed in on Adamson’s mistakes and turned them into points, forcing 20 turnovers and dashing to the other end to convert them into 20 points—just brutal efficiency.
Offensively, it was clinical. The Green Archers shot 42.5% from the field and 40.5% from three, that’s the kind of shooting that can make any team look silly. Kevin Quiambao was the star, leading his Archers with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on a scorching 53.8% shooting, including a scathing 50% from deep. And oh, Doy Dungo, this was his “welcome to the UAAP” moment. His audacious 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, 100% from beyond the arc, and 3 rebounds sounded off the bells, Dungo is here to stay.
The biggest lead in the game? 30 points. 30. That’s how much La Salle decided Adamson was going to lose by. A total mismatch.
Round 2: La Salle Blows the Falcons Away Again (70-45)
Onto round two, and guess what? Same beatdown. Different day. La Salle didn’t just beat Adamson—they handed them another thorough thrashing, this time at the UST Gym, 70-45.
Adamson tried to slow things down, maybe hoping to keep the game close and make a late-game steal. It didn’t work. La Salle took a 17-11 lead in the first quarter, and then in the second, the Green Archers just stomped their foot on the accelerator, running off a 25-11 quarter to make it a comfortable 42-22 lead by halftime.
While Adamson won the third quarter, 14-17, it wasn’t enough. La Salle had too much firepower and too much depth. Again, it was La Salle’s disruptive defense that made the difference. They out-rebounded Adamson by a narrow margin (39-37) but dominated points off turnovers (19-7), and their perimeter shooting (37%) was superior to Adamson’s 17.6% from three.
Quiambao was back at it, dropping 17 points and 6 rebounds. This time, Josh David came to the party with 11 points on a blistering 80% shooting performance. La Salle’s offense was efficient, and their fastbreaks were unstoppable, with the Archers again outpacing Adamson 7-0 in transition.
Adamson had their moments—Cedrick Manzano scored 14 points—but there was no catching La Salle. The Falcons couldn’t handle the intensity, and by the end, the game was another solid win for the defending champs.
What Now?
Two games. Two blowouts. La Salle is looking every bit the title contender they’ve been hyped up to be. The Green Archers have everything, depth, defense, scoring, and intensity. Players like Kevin Quiambao, Mike Phillips, Vhoris Marasigan, EJ Gollena, CJ Austria, JC Macalalag, Raven Gonzales, David, and Dungo give La Salle an all-around game that few teams can match.
But it’s their defense that’s been the major difference-maker. They’ve shown that their hallmark Topex defense can lock down any team and make them slow, chaotic, and disjointed.
Looking deeper into the numbers, La Salle’s average winning margin over Adamson in both rounds was 27.5 points. That’s the kind of dominance that sends a message. 42% shooting from the field and a blazing 38.8% from three. And let’s not forget the rebounding as La Salle dominated the glass by an average of 9 boards per game. Come playoff time, every possession will count, and these extra possessions will surely matter.
But let’s not completely write off Adamson. The Falcons have shown they have talent—with players like Manzano and Ojarikre stepping up, and with a couple of San Marcelino snipers, Adamson could still surprise. If they can clean up their turnovers and shoot more efficiently, they might just make this a series. But for now, the Green Archers are the clear series favorites.
So, what now? Will La Salle waltz into the Final Four and claim their place in the championship? Or will Adamson’s miraculous stealth run continue?
We’ll know on Saturday.
ANIMO LA SALLE!
