Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Adamson got back at University of the East, 79-71, and stopped a two-game slide in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Papi Sarr posted a double-double with 25 points and 15 rebounds that went with three blocks while Jerrick Ahanmisi redeemed himself from a scoreless outing with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field to bring the Falcons back to their winning ways.
READ: UE posts 1st win, beats Adamson
Adamson trailed by 10 in the first half before finding its form in the third quarter where it outscored UE, 29-18.
“In the third quarter we just had to pushed them a bit and we got some contributions coming from our bench,” said Adamson head coach Franz Pumaren, whose team hiked its record to 5-5. “It’s good for us winning this type of game.”
The Falcons came into the game having lost four of their last five games, including a 64-57 setback to the Red Warriors in the first round and a 65-61 defeat to University of the Philippines in their previous outing 10 days ago.
Ahanmisi, the prized rookie, had his worst game of the season in the loss to UP.
READ: UP turns back Adamson for back-to-back wins
“I think it was a good game for us to come back to especially we lost to UE last round,” said Ahanmisi, who went 4-of-7 from the three-point area. “Our coaches really helped me this game. They just told me to keep playing my game and forget about the past.”
Alvin Pasaol paced the Red Warriors with 16 points on top of five rebounds and five assists while captain Paul Varilla added 13 points and six rebounds. UE remained at the bottom of the standings with a woeful 2-8 record.
After winning just three games last season, Adamson is in good position to make the Final Four, something that Pumaren, who is in his first year with the Falcons, didn’t expect coming into this year.
“I have to be honest with you, when the season opened, our mission was just to be competitive and improve from what we accomplished last year,” he admitted.
“But with the way we’re competing right now, we have a good chance of making the Final Four. I just hope these young guys can accept the challenge and the pressure. “