Mathew Montebon
{{short description|Filipino basketball player (born 2003)}}
{{Philippine name|Montilla|Montebon}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| position = Shooting guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| league = UAAP
| team = Adamson Soaring Falcons
| number = 3
| nationality = Filipino / American
| high_school = Newark Memorial High School, Newark, California
| college = Paul Smith's College (2021–2022)
Adamson University (2023–present)
| birth_place = Newark, California, U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|1|25}}
}}
Mathew Jacob "Monty" Montilla Montebon (born January 25, 2003) is a Filipino-American college basketball player for the Adamson Soaring Falcons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
High school career
Montebon played varsity basketball for the Newark Memorial High School Cougars.{{Cite web |last=Sabedra |first=Darren |date=April 30, 2021 |title=In basketball, De La Salle rallies to defeat SRV and Newark Memorial topples Moreau Catholic |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/01/prep-roundup-palo-alto-san-ramon-valley-roll-to-baseball-victories/|access-date=November 21, 2023 |website=The Mercury News |language=en}}
College career
= Paul Smith's College Bobcats (2021–22) =
Montebon started his college career with a stint with the Paul Smith's College Bobcats.{{Cite web |title=Mathew Montebon |url=https://paulsmithsbobcats.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/bios/montebon_mathew_rcbw |access-date=November 22, 2023 |website=Paul Smith's College Athletics |language=en}} In his time there, he averaged just 3.8 points.{{Cite web|date=2022|accessdate=July 7, 2024|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Yankee-Small-College-Conference/192/Paul-Smiths-College/1954/rosters/2022|title=Basketball: 2021-2022 Paul Smith's College Bobcats Stat Leaders|website=RealGM}}
= Adamson Soaring Falcons (2023–present) =
Montebon has quickly been known for his big shots in Philippine collegiate basketball, playing for the Adamson Soaring Falcons in his first year as senior teammate Jerom Lastimosa was not available.{{Cite web|title=The breakout candidates for UAAP Season 86|first=Normie|last=Riego|date=September 28, 2023 |url=https://www.espn.ph/basketball/colleges/story/_/id/38506633/the-breakout-candidates-uaap-season-86|accessdate=November 21, 2023|website=espn.ph}} In a pre-season game on June 4, 2023, the Soaring Falcons came back from a 27-point deficit and leaned on Montebon's buzzer-beating three-point shot to shock the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 61–60.{{Cite web|date=June 4, 2023 |title=Filoil Preseason: 'Confident' rookie Matthew Montebon continues to step up for Adamson
|url=https://sports.inquirer.net/513049/filoil-preseason-confident-rookie-matthew-montebon-continues-to-step-up-for-adamson |last=Fuertes Jr.|first=Rommel|access-date=November 21, 2023 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=June 4, 2023 |first=Rom|last=Anzures|title=FilOil: Adamson eliminates Ateneo, NU comes back against St. Clare|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/04/23/adu-eliminates-ateneo-nu-comes-back-against-st-clare|website=ABS-CBN News|accessdate=November 21, 2023}}
Montebon debuted in the UAAP with 13 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals to step up for Adamson in a 51–68 loss to the UP Fighting Maroons on October 1, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Agcaoili |first=Lance |date=October 1, 2023 |title=UAAP: Malick Diouf, CJ Cansino lead UP romp of Adamson |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/531764/uaap-malick-diouf-cj-cansino-lead-up-romp-of-adamson |accessdate=November 21, 2023 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer}} On October 7, 2023, the same Ateneo team lost to Adamson in the first round of the UAAP Season 86 basketball championship despite leading by as much as 19 points thanks to the Falcon rookie's three-point shot from the left corner in regulation, 69-all, and senior teammate Vince Magbuhos' buzzer-beater triple in overtime, 74–71.{{Cite web|date=October 7, 2023 |first=Ralph Edwin|last=Villanueva|title=Magbuhos pours game-winning 3 as Falcons soar past Eagles in OT|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2023/10/06/2301926/magbuhos-pours-game-winning-3-falcons-soar-past-eagles-ot|newspaper=Philippine Star|accessdate=November 21, 2023}}
On November 19, 2023, the Soaring Falcons won a tough fight against the UE Red Warriors to earn a playoff for the last spot in the Final Four, with Montebon demonstrating why he is said to be the heir apparent to the outgoing King Falcon Jerom Lastimosa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.adamson.edu.ph/v1/?page=view-news&newsid=2742|title=Montebon corner dagger lifts Adamson over UE; forces playoff for #4|website=adamson.edu.ph|date=November 20, 2023|accessdate=November 21, 2023}} With 2.7 seconds left, Montebon hit another left-corner triple for the win, edging UE, 63–61.{{Cite web|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/11/19/sports/montebon-hits-game-winner-as-adamson-nips-ue-to-force-a-playoff-against-ateneo-for-last-semis-berth/1920581|accessdate=November 21, 2023|newspaper=The Manila Times|language=en-US|last=Masoy|first=Niel Victor|date=November 19, 2023|title=Montebon hits game-winner as Adamson nips UE to force a playoff against Ateneo for last semis berth}}{{Cite web|title=Adamson keeps Final Four hopes alive after thrilling win over UE in UAAP Season 86|url=https://www.onesports.ph/uaap/article/17151/adamson-keeps-final-four-hopes-alive-after-thrilling-win-over-ue-in-uaap-season-86|date=November 19, 2023|accessdate=November 21, 2023|website=onesports.ph|language=en-US}}
Adamson lost to defending champion Ateneo in the playoff held a few days before Montebon was honored as the Collegiate Press Corps' Player of the Week.{{Cite web|url=https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/20/adamson-s-matthew-montebon-ust-s-nikki-villarin-earn-uaap-players-of-the-week-citation|title=Adamson's Matthew Montebon, UST's Nikki Villarin earn UAAP Players of the Week citation|date=November 21, 2023|accessdate=November 24, 2023|newspaper=Manila Bulletin}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abante.com.ph/2023/11/19/monty-montebon-adamson-sa-playoffs/|title=Monty Montebon, Adamson sa playoffs|first=Gerard|last=Arce|newspaper=Abante|date=November 19, 2023|accessdate=July 7, 2024}}
For Season 87, Montebon continued being a scorer, such as when he scored 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, in a win over the UST Growling Tigers.{{Cite web |last=Dukha III |first=Angel B. |date=2024-09-15 |title=UAAP: Adamson hands UST its first loss, improves to 2-1 |url=https://sports.inquirer.net/585055/uaap-adamson-hands-ust-its-first-loss-improves-to-2-1 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}} Despite his high-scoring numbers, Adamson went on a losing streak with that began with close losses to UE and the FEU Tamaraws,{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2024 |title=UE tormentor Mathew Montebon gets a taste of his own medicine |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/uaap-men/ue-tormentor-mathew-montebon-gets-a-taste-of-his-own-medicine-a2437-20241006 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Tiebreaker |date=2024-10-12 |title=UAAP Men's Basketball: Clutch Bautista sparks FEU’s second overtime win, outlasts Adamson |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/uaap-mens-basketball-clutch-bautista-sparks-feus-second-overtime-win-outlasts-adamson/316184 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}} and ended at five games with a blowout loss to UP.{{Cite web |last=Valencia |first=Justin |date=2024-10-27 |title=UAAP Men's Basketball: UP clinches Final Four spot with strong finish against Adamson |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/uaap-mens-basketball-up-clinches-final-four-spot-with-strong-finish-against-adamson/317838 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}} With their season on the line, he became more of a playmaker, with seven assists in a win over Ateneo to force a playoff against UE for the fourth seed. He then had six assists in that playoff alongside 13 points as Adamson secured the fourth seed in the Final Four.{{Cite web |last=Valencia |first=Justin |date=2024-11-27 |title=Mathew Montebon's evolution as playmaker leads Adamson's dramatic Final Four push |url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/mathew-montebons-evolution-as-playmaker-leads-adamsons-dramatic-final-four-push/321519 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Tiebreaker Times |language=en-US}} In the Final Four, their season ended with a blowout loss to the De La Salle Green Archers.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-11-30 |title=La Salle routs Adamson, sets up UAAP Finals rematch vs UP |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/basketball/928655/uaap-final-four-la-salle-adamson-november-30-2024/story/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}
Personal life
Montebon said he plans out his schedule early in the week to balance his time for Marketing studies with basketball and ties with parents Robert Montebon and Regina Montilla, among others.{{Cite web|url=https://thewednesdayherald.net/news/fil-am-adamson-falcons-cager-mathew-jacob-montebon-shows-mettle-in-uaap-87/|title=Fil-Am Adamson Falcons cager Mathew Jacob Montebon shows mettle in UAAP 87|website=The Wednesday Herald|date=September 26, 2024|accessdate=October 29, 2024}}{{ cite news|url=https://www.adamson.edu.ph/v1/?page=view-news&newsid=3037|title=
Fransman, Montebon breakouts lead Adamson to bounce back win|date=September 16, 2024|accessdate=October 29, 2024|website=The Adamson News}}
Awards
- Most Valuable Player, 2024 Mayor Kirk Asis Invitational Basketball Tournament {{ cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-sports/2024/06/30/2366659/adamson-falcons-soar-championship-glory|title=Adamson Falcons soar to championship glory|date=June 30, 2024|accessdate=July 2, 2024|newspaper=Philippine Star|first=Emmanuel|last=Villaruel}}{{ cite news|url=https://journalnews.com.ph/mayor-asis-cup-to-adamson/|title=Mayor Asis Cup to Adamson|date=June 30, 2024|accessdate=July 2, 2024|newspaper=Journal Online|first=Robert|last=Andaya}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Mathew-Montebon/NCAA/192795] at RealGM website
- [https://paulsmithsbobcats.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/bios/montebon_mathew_rcbw?view=gamelog&pos=sh Paul Smith Bobcats bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montebon, Mathew}}
Category:Filipino men's basketball players
Category:21st-century Filipino sportsmen