By Jerome Lagunzad
2 p.m. – AMA vs Marinerong Pilipino
4 p.m. – Batangas-EAC vs JRU
Akari-Adamson sustained its fine form at the expense of Gamboa Coffee Mix, 92-85, yesterday for its third straight victory in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Top gunner Jerrick Ahanmisi tallied 18 points while Cameroonian import Papi Sarr, veterans Sean Manganti and Simon Camacho made key plays down the stretch as the Falcons did enough to hold off the stubborn Coffee Lovers.
More importantly, Akari-Adamson won its second match in three days and hiked its record to 4-1 in a tie with idle Zark’s Burgers at second spot.
Meanwhile, Gamboa saw its two-game run come to a halt and dropped to an even 2-2 mark.
“Right now, I’m still struggling to find the right combinations,” said Falcons coach Franz Pumaren, still far from pleased after his wards blew hot and cold in the first half before gathering their acts in time to keep their rivals at bay in the crunch.
Fil-Am guard Trevis Jackson continued his impressive play for Gamboa Coffee Mix as he fired away 12 of his game-high 29 points in the final canto that kept them within striking distance of Akari-Adamson with still under five minutes to play.
“I don’t think St. Clare ang kalaban namin. I think si Jackson lang ang kalaban namin,” said Pumaren in jest, heaping praises on the Coffee Lovers who scored seven straight points that cut the Soaring Falcons’ advantage to just 76-80 with 4:56 to play.
“Jackson carried their whole team. He really played well and he really shot well. I think he’s PBA-ready. He played like a veteran. He’s mature right now unlike some of my other guys.”
The Falcons, however, had enough firepower to neutralize Jackson’s late-game explosion, with Camacho scoring five straight points and Manganti adding three more in a decisive 8-2 push for an 88-78 cushion, time down to just 2:41.
But the Coffee Lovers still refused to waive the white flag as they charged back anew by scoring seven of the next eight points, capped by Chris Bitoon’s 12-footer that made it an 85-89 count with 50.9 second remaining.
Akari’s defense, however, spelled the difference from there as Gamboa’s Aris Dionisio and Bitoon were denied in their respective attacks while Manganti and Sarr iced the game by converting thrice from the 15-foot line.
