Falcons beat La Salle for the first time
Games Today (Fil-Oil Flying V Center San Juan City) 2 p.m. – UST vs NU 4 p.m. – UP vs UE
After two frustrating seasons and a heartbreaking defeat in the first round, Adamson University finally found a way to beat De La Salle, 57-50, yesterday in the 81st UAAP basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Sean Manganti finished with a gamehigh 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Cameroonian center Papi Sarr added 12 markers and 16 boards as the Falcons ended a seven-game losing skid to La Salle.
In their first meeting last Oct, 13, the Archers stunned the Falcons, 79-78, in overtime.
“We just treated this game as a game we needed to win to maintain our position now. We are hoping that we can sustain our position right now,” said Pumaren who steered the Falcons to their seventh win in nine matches.
“I guess what really transpired in this particular game, I think we really showed our defense. One thing for sure, our calling card for this year is really to try to hold down the other team,” added Pumaren who won five titles as La Salle coach.
The Falcons clamped down on defense after the Archers moved to within, 47-46, with 6:11 to play.
Manganti sparked a 10-4 run with a triple that gave the Falcons more breathing room, 53-46, with 3:30 left.
In the second game, rookie center Angelo Kouame of Ivory Coast took advantage of Prince Orizu’s absence in the second half as Ateneo avenged a first round setback to Far Eastern University with a convincing 82-62 win.
The 6-foot-9 Kouame recorded a personal best 33 points and 27 rebounds as the Blue Eagles got back at the Tamaraws who lost Orizu due to a bruised shin in the second period.
The win propelled Ateneo on top tied again with Adamson, while FEU sustained its second straight loss to tie La Salle at 5-4. Anton Asistio added 15 points for Ateneo, which missed the services of star player Thirdy Ravena – out due to a one-game suspension.
The scores:
ADAMSON 57 – Manganti 19, Sarr 12, Ahanmisi 9, Pingoy 6, Camacho 4, Lastimosa 3, Magbuhos V. 2, Zaldivar 2, Catapusan 0, Mojica 0, Espeleta 0, Bernardo 0.
LA SALLE 50 – Melecio 18, Serrano 10, Baltazar 6, Santillan 5, Montalbo 4, Dyke 4, Manuel 2, Caracut 1, Bates 0, Corteza 0. Quarters: 9-2; 28-21; 41-35; 57-50. ATENEO 82 – Kouame 33, Asistio 15, Tio 8, Wong 7, Mamuyac 6, Verano 4, Mendoza 3, Andrade 2, Belangel 2, Go 2, Black 0, Daves 0, Navarro 0.
FEU 62 – Escoto 13, Cani 13, Bienes 8, Parker 7, Comboy 6, Nunag 4, Eboña 3, Stockton 2, Tuffin 2, Orizu 2, Iñigo 2, Gonzales 0, Jopia 0, Ramirez 0.
Quarters: 16-16; 34-22; 62-42; 82-62.