Knights vanquish former champions

This is coming off their Semi Finals exit, 76-81, at the hands of this season's champions ACBSUI Panthers last 19 November 2023 on the same court.

Opening the game, the Knights started off slow as missed shot attempts defined the starting moments of the bout which the Tigers took advantage of, stretching the lead by as far as eight points. But despite plays producing steals, layups, and free-throws on AdNU’s end, the opposition themselves tightened their defenses, keeping the lead and ending the first quarter, 19-11.

Demonstrating the toughness of this game, in the succeeding quarter the NCF’s defensive strategy proved itself still effective as they forced the ball over and converted at every opportunity. On the other hand, AdNU stuck to their tempo in the initial period, this time creating space and getting buckets on multiple spots on the floor. The Knights rallied together and outscored their opponents by seven points and were right where they wanted to be when the halftime buzzer sounded: a single-point deficit, 32-33.  

The trap was set and Ateneo tightened their net bit by bit as they dug deep contesting shots, grabbing rebounds, and made it harder for Naga College to get any momentum going. Stepping back from the paint, the Knights continued their barrage now at the three-point line and even took the lead halfway through the quarter, 43-42. However, crucial plays on both sides of the court failed to spark any run for either side. Yet the quarter finished with the same deficit as the last but this time in favor of AdNU. 

In the final period of this matchup was when things started to get intense and heated, where both teams were already employing man-to-man defense. It was a rapid exchange of leads, ties, and fouls, up until the last minute where the game was tied at 68 apiece. With the game on the line no. 19 Jerome Almario took over the game getting his own rebound and taking it coast-to-coast before banking in a tough driving layup to put AdNU up front. But he sealed the deal when he cooked the defense and made a clutch dagger three with the shot clock already stopped. After trading technical free throws, the Golden Knights were finally able to hoist the 2nd Runner-Up Trophy, with a score of 74-69.

The post-game interview with Almario revealed that his confidence to take the final shot stemmed from his coaches' and teammates' faith in him. He was also hailed "Player of the Game."

Next season the AdNU Golden Knights will once again try to not only break their last season's ceiling but also bring back the coveted crown of champion.