ADAMSON University poured it all in the second half to turn back Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 84-73, for its second victory in six games in Group A action of the 2015 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premiere Cup on Friday at The Arena in San Juan City.
All the Soaring Falcons needed in repulsing the Generals were strong words on defense and ball movement from Head Coach Kenneth Duremdes.
Those the Falcons did in the third quarter. After trailing 36-41 after two quarters, the Soaring Falcons waxed hot from all angles and, at the same time, clamped down on the Generals’ shooters to limit EAC to only nine points en route to a 10-point bubble entering the payoff period.
Nico Capote scattered three three-pointers in a telling 17-3 third-quarter run to power Adamson University’s surge that sent EAC reeling to its sixth loss in seven games.
Papi Sarr and rookie JD Tungcab took over the offensive load in the fourth quarter and went on to finish with a team-high 20 and 12 points, respectively. Capote had 19 points and Dawn Ochea 13 markers for the Falcons.
Francis Munsayac made 15 points, Sidney Onwubere had 14 and Faustine Pascual added 11 markers for the Generals.
Basketball legend Atoy Co, meanwhile, steered Mapua past Lyceum of the Philippines University, 81-65, in Friday’s men’s Group B game.
The Cardinals were dominating in the match and encountered a semblance of a challenge from the Pirates in the third period, when they closed in at 41-53. But Mapua unleashed a huge 17-4 run to all but settle the issue and notch its second win in six outings.
Allwell Oraeme topscored for Mapua with 21 points, followed by Buenaventura de la Rosa with 20 and Stephen Que with 11.
Wilson Baltazar led the Pirates with 13 markers, while Shaq Alanes added 12 and Jebb Bulawan contributed 11.
Action resumes on Saturday with the men’s matches between Ateneo and Letran at 10 a.m., Perpetual Help and Jose Rizal University at 11:45 a.m., Far Eastern University and Adamson University at 1:30 p.m., San Beda and Southwestern University at 3:15 p.m. and Centro Escolar University and De La Salle at 5 p.m.
The JRU Light Bombers and San Beda Red Cubs collide in the lone juniors match at 6:45 p.m.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza