Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Losers of four straight games, Adamson needed a push to get its campaign in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament back on track.
The Falcons didn’t have to look far for it as they drew added motivation from their head coach Franz Pumaren, who has never missed a beat despite being fresh off a procedure to remove kidney stones just four days ago.
Pumaren served as inspiration for his wards, who did not let their coach down after a 72-53 win over National University.
READ: UAAP: Adamson ends 4 game slide with beatdown of NU
“If you look at our game against Ateneo the effort was there, the intensity was there. Probably they realized that for me just being here during practice or during game, it’s already an effort on my part,” said Pumaren, who still coached in Adamson’s 80-74 loss to Ateneo last Wednesday, a day after the procedure.
“Actually, I’m not advised to go on a long drive. Going here it’s always traffic. Sometimes I look funny during a stop, I have to go down in the car and stand up. But anyway, this is just a small step on our part for us to make sure that we will lead with the right track in the next few games.”
Making sure Pumaren’s sacrifices won’t go for naught, five Falcons scored in double figures led by Jerrick Ahanmisi’s 15 points.
READ: Pumaren rejoins Adamson a day after surgery: I’ won’t leave them in heat of battle’
“For me ever since I heard of that operation, I just try to pray every game. It’s already a struggle for him going to the game because he should be resting. Once I heard that, I just felt like we really need to all play as a team, he’s already putting an effort to go to the game so why not give back to him,” Ahanmisi said.
Adamson also got a big lift from AP Manlapaz, who scored 14 points, 10 coming in the final frame, in less than 15 minutes off the bench.
“Like what Jerrick said, it’s really an effort for coach to go to our games. It’s not advisable for him to go to the game and yet he goes for us. So we really try to play well to help him and the team,” Manlapaz said in Filipino.