Adamson Falcons head coach Franz Pumaren. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
In the first of, potentially, many head-to-head duels between Pumaren brothers Franz and Derrick, it was the younger sibling’s Adamson which got the better of his big brother’s University of the East, 84-82 in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup.
Franz’s win, though, came in the preseason but the Soaring Falcons head coach said it’s preview of his coming UAAP battles against Derrick.
“This is an appetizer for the incoming UAAP,” said the younger Franz. “For sure just like me, I didn’t expose everything, the same goes for UE.”
“They didn’t show everything what they had.”
Both coaches admitted their respective teams are still not in “basketball shape” with Franz only putting Adamson at “80 percent” and Derrick saying his Red Warriors still have lots to go if they intend to be the most physical-ready team come UAAP Season 79.
The condition that both coaches have now is just the tip of the iceberg of what their teams, who both finished Season 78 in the lower half of the league, can do come UAAP.
Franz likened his team’s win against UE to either a poker game or a chess match.
“It’s just like playing a chess game or poker game, you hide your cards, and this is just a learning experience for my team,” said Franz.
And just as the teams use the preseason to prepare for the UAAP, Derrick said his loss against his younger brother does not count in their scorecards.
“Well they played well, I must say, this is not the big one, it doesn’t count,” said Derrick. “It doesn’t count, walang bilangan yun. What counts is the UAAP.”