by Waylon Galvez
Games Saturday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. – La Salle vs Adamson
4 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo
Adamson University snapped a two-game losing skid with a 69-58 win over National University in the UAAP men’s basketball last night at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City.
Jerrick Ahanmisi continued his hot shooting as he fired 21 points, while Cameroonian center Papi Sarr finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Sean Manganti added 11 points.
Adamson’s win put the team of coach Franz Pumaren back on the winning track after losing their last two games in the first round following a 5-0 start – the school’s best start in years.
It also propelled the Falcons back on top of the team standings as they tied defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles with identical 6-2 cards, while the Bulldogs dropped to 2-6.
Meantime, Encho Serrano and Andrei Caracut combined for 34 points as the Green Archers downed the University of the East Red Warriors, 79-59, for their third straight win.
As lead point guard Aljun Melecio struggled with his offensive game, Serrano and Caracut stepped up off the bench as the former contributed 18 points and the latter added 16 points.
Leo Santillan finished with 13 points and Justine Baltazar had 12 points, while Melecio scored eight points on 2-of-9 shooting with a rebound, four assists and five turnovers for DLSU.
La Salle’s victory improved its win-loss record to 5-3, tying the Far Eastern University Tamaraws for third and fourth spots in the standings.
La Salle took a 47-36 halftime lead but UE – behind Alvin Pasaol – used a 10-2 run capped by a basket inside the shaded area by the 6-foot-1 forward to trim the deficit to 49-46 with 5:46 to play in the third period.
The boys of head coach Louie Gonzales, coming off a time out, regrouped as it unleashed 9-0 run which Serrano capped with a three-point shot that gave them a 58-46 advantage.
From there, the Archers – semifinalist last season – were never threatened as their lead ballooned to 20 or more points several times in the final frame.
Scores:
Fist Game
LA SALLE 79 – Serrano 18, Caracut 16, Santillan 13, Baltazar 12, Melecio 8, Manuel 3, Montalbo 3, Corteza 2, Dyke 2, Bates 2, Capacio 0.
UE 59 – Pasaol 22, Conner 12, Varilla 7, Bartolome 6, Cullar 3, Antiporda 3, Acuno 2, Manalang 2, Sobrevega 2, Gallardo 2, Guion 0, Beltran 0, Gagate 0, Strait 0.
Quarters: 21-16; 47-36; 66-49; 79-59.
Second Game
ADAMSON 69 – Ahanmisi 21, Sarr 16, Manganti 11, Espeleta 8, Lastimosa 5, Magbuhos 4, Camacho 2, Mojica 2, Pingoy 0, Catapusan 0, Colonia 0.
NU 58 – Ildefonso D. 21, Gaye 8, Diputado 6, Ildefonso S. 5, Clemente 5, Yu 3, Sinclair 2, Joson 2, Gallego 2, Rike 2, Morido 0, Aquino 0, Galinato 0, Tibayan.
Quarters: 27-11; 42-23; 54-45; 69-58.
