Montebon trey helps Falcons escape Ateneo in Filoil Cup

Date Posted: June 7, 2023 at 11:19 AM


A buzzer beating three-pointer from rookie point guard Mathew Montebon helped the Soaring Falcons overcome Ateneo de Manila University, 61-60, in the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Pre-season Cup held last May 4 in San Juan. 

Montebon’s booming three from top of the key left the Blue Eagles shell-shocked as the San Marcelino crew orchestrated a 20-1 explosion in the last seven minutes of the final quarter to steal the game and register their fourth win in eight games. 

“It was coach’s halftime speech. He got on with all of us [because] we started slow, so he reminded us that without our leaders, we had to step up and pick it up,” the Newark Memorial High School alum said. 

Montebon finished with 13 points from a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, along with two assists and two rebounds. 

Missing their two main gunners Jerom Lastimosa and Joem Sabandal, Adamson started out flat in the first half, only converting five out of their 23 field goal attempts and committing 11 turnovers. 

The Soaring Falcons even fell behind by as much as 27 early in the third canto, 18-45, but was able to chip on their foes’ lead. A switch to a zone defense then completely swinged the momentum to Adamson as they forced the reigning UAAP basketball titlists to only a point for the rest of the game. 

Ateneo was still up by two in the dying seconds of the game before Montebon put up a prayer a little beyond the three-point line. 

“I saw there were five seconds left [and] I was trying to get someone a shot, but I lost the ball. I realized I only had a couple of seconds left, so I just shot it,” Montebon said, also admitting that it may have been the biggest shot of his young career. 

UAAP 85 3x3 silver medalist John Calisay contributed 10 points and three rebounds for Adamson who kept their quarterfinals alive.