Lozada hit a personal high 21 points in leading the Falcons to a roaring start while holding the Growling Tigers’ top rookie Kevin Ferrer to a season-low nine points.
Adamson notched its second-straight win after dropping its opening game to Ateneo.
“I’m happy for Janus. I’m waiting for his breakout game and he performed well not only on offense but also in defense,” said Falcons coach Leo Austria.
Lozada’s previous high was 19, which he also registered against the Tigers on August 15, 2010. Adamson also won that game, 81-76.
The four-year forward hit seven-of-nine from the field and helped limit Ferrer, who starred in UST’s 2-0 start. Big man Eric Camson added a personal-high 19 points, while Alex Nuyles chipped in 16 and six boards for the Falcons who held UST to just five points in the first period.
Adamson led from start to finish, thanks to Lozada’s hot shooting and Camson’s incursions.
Jeric Teng poured in a team-high 15 points, while Melo Afuang added 14 and Cameroonian center Karim Abdul 13 points and 10 rebounds.
In the first game, Far Eastern University edged a pesky National University, 62-59, to claim second spot behind Ateneo (4-0) with a 3-1 record.
Reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ryan Roose Garcia paced the Tamaraws with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.
“Ang sama ng fourth period namin. Mabuti na lang nag-step up ang big men namin,” said FEU coach Bert Flores.
The Tamaraws outrebounded the Bulldogs, 53-40, led by Chris Exciminiano with 12 boards and Aldrech Ramos with 11.
NU rookie Bobby Ray Parks was held to just 11 points, his lowest in four games, in the match played at the Philippine Sports Commission facility which didn’t have a fully operational electronic scoreboard. The Bulldogs dropped to 1-3.
The PhilSports electronic scoreboard, believed to be the same equipment when the arena was still the Ultra in the 1980s, could only flash the scores. The electronic timer was positioned on the opposite end of the arena. The barker also had to announce what is left on the shot clock because the PhilSports arena did not have a working clock for that important component of the sport.
(Joel Orellana)
