THE FACULTY of Medicine and Surgery (Medicine) Men’s Basketball Team survived a late game rally from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) Men’s Basketball Team, denying the Dapitan-based squad its first win in this year’s Thomasian Goodwill Games, 77-73, at the Quadricentennial Pavilion last Feb. 28.
Medicine’s main gunner Josemarie Adornado finished with 24 points, while Allen Madrazo dropped 16 points. Giuseppe Punzalan and Emmanuel Bahia, on the other hand, led AB with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
AB scored six unanswered points with only three minutes remaining in the game to cut Medicine’s deficit to three, 63-66—their closest since the six-minute mark of the first quarter.
However, an unwavering Medicine forced its offense inside the paint, 74-70, with less than a minute remaining in the payoff period.
Punzalan dropped a clutch three-pointer to narrow the deficit to three, 73-77, with three ticks remaining in the clock.
But AB was forced to foul in the next possession and Medicine made one out of its two free throws to make it a two-possession lead with less than two seconds remaining in the game.
“Lumaban naman kami nang maayos [at] binigay naman namin ‘yung lahat. ‘Yung communication lang namin, ‘di namin alam minsan kung saan ‘yung pupuntahan nung bawat isa kaya naliligaw sa defense kaya siguro nalamangan kami ng ganon,” Punzalan said pertaining to Medicine’s lead in the first half.
AB was trailing the whole time as Medicine dictated the pace of the game.
Adornado started out hot as he buried a trey early in the game followed by a lay-up from Charles Luzano to put Medicine ahead, 5-0. Medicine held AB to just six points in the opening period, 20-6.
AB found its rhythm in the second quarter after Bahia knocked down a three-pointer; however, Medicine’s lead was barely unchanged entering into halftime, 42-33.
AB Men’s Basketball Team will go against the College of Commerce and Business Administration Men’s Basketball Team at the P. Noval Court on March 2 at 2:30 in the afternoon. F ANGELIQUE ANNE F. TORRES
