Basketball
Nuyles saves Adamson from La Salle comeback
Alex Nuyles calmly sank a short game-winning jumper with 0.8 seconds left to save Adamson from a major fourth quarter collapse in a 68-66 nail-biter to keep the second spot in the 74th UAAP men’s basketball tournament Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
With the game tied at 66-all and with no timeouts left for Adamson, Nuyles caught the ball and drove strong before spinning his way to a tough jumpshot in the lane to give his squad the lead.
The Archers had one last chance to send the game to overtime, but their alley-hoop play for Luigi Dela Paz off a timeout went astray.
The Falcons were ahead by 22 points, 52-30, with 2:46 left in the third quarter, and by 17, 56-39, heading into the fourth. But the Green Archers did not fold, conducting a furious 27-10 blast capped by Dela Paz’s corner three-pointer with 15.8 left in the game that tied the score.
“That was scary for us, we’re lucky that we’re able to escape,” said Adamson coach Leo Austria. “I really wanted the ball in the hands of Alex (Nuyles) in the final play. I’m happy that I gave the play to him in the final possession and that he made it.”
Eric Camson led all scorers with 20 points and four rebounds while Nuyles finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Lester Alvarez added 14 points for the Falcons.
The victory was Adamson’s third straight to improve its win-loss record to 6-2.
