Challenge by harsh words from coach, Jerrick Ahanmisi breaks out of slump

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Jerrick Ahanmisi was one of Adamson University’s brighter players for the past three seasons, but his start in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament was pedestrian at best.

Despite his reputation as one of the deadly shooters in the league, Ahanmisi hit a snag in the Soaring Falcons’ first two games this year and fell to 8.5 points per game on a difficult 7-of-26 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep.

This paltry shooting did not sit well with Adamson head coach Franz Pumaren, who challenged his shooter to get it together mere minutes before the Soaring Falcons took on University of the East Wednesday.

“He wants to make it to the PBA and I told him with the way he’s playing I don’t think he can make it to the next level,” said Pumaren, a nine-time PBA champion and part of the 1989 San Miguel team that completed the Grand Slam.

The stern words hit a chord with Ahanmisi as he torched the Red Warriors for 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field and 7-of-14 from downtown, proving to Pumaren that he can get it going.

“Like coach Franz said, before we went out of the locker room he told me to step my game up because I haven’t been playing the way that he usually sees me play,” said Ahanmisi who led the Soaring Flacons to the 91-80 victory over UE to get Adamson to a 2-1 record.

“I kind of took it personally so I went out there and I tried to do what I was capable of doing,” added Ahanmisi.