Jaden Lazo’s Fourth Quarter Surge Leads Ateneo to UAAP Victory Over Adamson

In a commanding performance on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Jaden Lazo’s explosive fourth-quarter display propelled Ateneo de Manila University to a 77-58 triumph over Adamson University in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament. Lazo contributed 13 of his 15 total points in the final period to help the Blue Eagles secure their third straight win.

The game remained closely contested through three quarters, with Ateneo narrowly leading 51-48 going into the fourth. However, the Blue Eagles broke the game open with a decisive 17-1 run, extending their lead to 68-49 with just over three minutes left.

Lazo sparked the rally with a three-pointer followed by a layup, and later capped it off with another triple. Despite a response from Matt Erolon, who scored a three-pointer for the Soaring Falcons during the run, Lazo hit another long-range shot, pushing Ateneo’s advantage to 19 points.

Adamson tried to respond with two free throws from Erolon, but Ateneo’s Josh Lazaro nailed a jumper before Lazo sealed the victory with a basket under two minutes remaining.

Lazo finished the game with 15 points, including three triples, alongside two assists. Nigerian center Divine Adili also made a significant impact with 16 points and six rebounds. For Adamson, Erolon was the standout player despite the loss, contributing a game-high 23 points on seven three-pointers, and was the only Falcon to reach double digits.

With this win, Ateneo improved their record to 3-0, while Adamson slipped to 1-2 in the standings.

Final Scores:

Ateneo — Adili 16, Lazo 15, Ladi 14, Espinosa 10, Escobar 8, Lazaro 6, Bahay 3, Espina 3, Nieto 2

Adamson — Erolon 23, Torres 7, Manzano 6, Ojarikre 6, Anabo 5, Montebon 5

Quarter Scores: 18-11, 33-30, 51-48, 77-58