Pumaren praises wards’ feat
HEAD coach Franz Pumaren was satisfied with how his Akari-Adamson University secured themselves a seat in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League (PBA D-League) Aspirants’ Cup 2018 playoffs at the expense of Wangs Basketball-Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 90-71, on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
“We really played well. That’s what we are trying to envision. We were aggressive on defense. That’s what we’ve been preaching,” said Pumaren, whose squad improved to a 7-2 win-loss record and earned a share of the top spot with Centro Escolar University.
The Falcons’s smothering defense held the Couriers to just 14 points while firing 30 markers of their own in the pivotal third quarter.
Lanky forward Sean Manganti poured 10 of his game-high 24 points while star guard Jerrick Ahanmisi drained eight of his 15 markers in the third frame, allowing Akari to pull away from a tight 36-35 first half.
Pumaren commended Manganti’s leadership when the team needed it the most.
“He (Manganti) is assuming responsibility right now being the senior guy and the captain of the team. He just has to really make sure to play within our system. And if he do that, he’ll be okay, the team will be okay and he could contribute well down the road,” said Pumaren of Manganti, who is set to play his last collegiate season for Adamson.
Cameroonian center Papi Sarr contributed with a double- double of 15 points and 12 rebounds while Simon Camacho scored 14 markers.
“Some of the guys who are supposed to be given the chance to play, they proved themselves right,” said Pumaren, who got at least two points from all but one of the 12 players he deployed.
With a playoff slot already in the bag, Pumaren said they are now gunning for one of the top two spots that will allow the Falcons to soar straight into the semifinals.
“I’ll be a hypocrite if I’ll tell you that I’m not thinking about that (top two finish),” he said. “We still have to fine-tune a lot of things. I’m quite happy with the victory. Probably, I’m a non- conformist guy that’s why I want the very best for my players. We don’t want them to relax.”
“But of course, (what is) important for us is each game we establish our identity and basically that’s what we’re doing. We’re here to gain some experience. That’s actually our vision here--to make them (players) grow up and mature right away,” he added.