MANILA (UPDATED) – The Adamson University Soaring Falcons needed an additional five minutes to outlast the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament.

Adamson held on in the thrilling final minute of overtime to barge into the winning column of the tilt via a 79-76 win over the Growling Tigers at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday.

The Falcons now improved their record to 1-1 while UST suffered its second straight loss of the season and 15th consecutive since Season 85.

“Very hard earned indeed. Credit goes to UST and coach Pido [Jarencio’]s coaching staff no? They really made it hard for us today even without their FSA [foreign student-athlete]. I think we were lucky that they didn’t have their FSA today because kung nandiyan yan, it would’ve been a different story,” head coach Nash Racela told reporters.

Ced Manzano dropped 16 points for Adamson, including the last 10 of 12 points of the Falcons in the final five minutes of the regulation.

Matt Erolon added 11 while Joem Sabandal had nine but seven of which came from the pivotal overtime period.

It was a dogfight between the two teams heading to the final quarter as the Tigers were able to snatch the lead as Nic Cabanero scored off a layup in the 7:27 mark, 55-54. They reached their biggest lead of the match when Angelo Crisostomo drained a bank shot, 57-54.

But Manzano imposed his presence at the post as he went for a 6-0 personal rampage through a series of offensive boards that resulted in a 60-57 reversal.

He later on completed a good inbound pass in the final minute of the match for a slim 64-63 lead over UST.

But Christian Manaytay registered an and-one play to give the Thomasian community something to cheer on, 66-64, with 55 seconds left to play.

Adamson quickly responded and even regained the lead as Sabandal knocked down a turnaround jumper in the last 5.2 seconds, 68-66, before Cabanero muscled his way in to force an overtime.

In the extra period, Adamson appeared to have control the game with a 7-0 bomb, capped by a triple of Sabandal midway of OT, 75-68.

But veteran Cabanero took the matter into his own hands, burying a three-pointer that threatened the Falcons once again, 76-77, 29.8 seconds left in the clock.

UST almost forced Adamson to commit a five-second inbound violation but Paul Manalang was called for a pushing foul and put Matthew Montebon on the line. Montebon missed his first free throw but nailed the second, 78-76.

Pangilinan led UST with 18 points including four triples while Cabanero added 17 markers.