Adamson risks slate
Manila stormed to the early lead in the North Division of the Metropolitan Basketball Tournament (MBT) seniors competition over the week as part of the sportsfest under the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The All-Stars defeated 16-andunder champ Marikina, 79-72, at the Makati Coliseum and then clobbered Navotas, 113-71, at the San Andres Sports Complex behind homegrown star Kimberly Olmoguiz.
Olmoguiz had 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block in providing a showcase for the MBT, a PBA-backed tourney which has “Mobile App ng Bayan” Barangay 143 as co-presentor, Synergy 88 as main sponsor, Spalding as official ball and DZRH as radio partner.
In other games, Quezon City, still smarting from a stinging 92-91 overtime defeat to San Juan in the opening, survived a furious rally by Navotas to secure an 89-80 victory. Parañaque, meanwhile, turned back Makati, 83-75, in the tourney supported by San Miguel Corporation, World Balance and Higer Bus.
Streaking Adamson tries to sustain its unbeaten start while top contenders National University and Far Eastern go separate ways at the resumption of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference action today at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Lady Falcons, atop Group B with a 2-0 slate, are favored to make in three in a row in their 1 p.m. encounter with the Lady Engineers of Technological Institute of the Philippines, who have yet to break into the win column.
Adamson, behind top hitters Jema Galanza and Christine Soyud, is starting to live up to its true potential at the goading of American coach Airess Padda.
“It's really coming to start together and I wanna win all the remaining games. But my team is still inconsistent. One practice, they’re on fire. The next (time), they’re not,” Padda said following Adamson’s straight-sets victory over reigning NCAA titlist Arellano University.
Also expected to share the spotlight is the 6:30 p.m. showdown between the NU Lady Bulldogs and the FEU Lady Tamaraws who pace Group A with similar 2-0 records.
Clashing in the second offering set at 4 p.m. are UAAP powerhouse Ateneo and Lyceum, both eager to keep themselves in the hunt for coveted semifinal berths in Group A.
—JEROME LAGUNZAD