Adamson trips JRU, sets quartefinal date with Ateneo
Adamson spoiled Jose Rizal University’s bid to claim the top spot in Group B after hacking out a 71-62 victory in the 2010 FilOil Flying V Preseason Invitational Cup at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Falcons wasted a commanding 15-point the third quarter lead and even trailed, 61-60, with more than six minutes left to play. But key baskets and huge defensive stops in the fourth quarter turned things around for the San Marcelino-based quintet.
Adamson finished the elimination round with a 5-3 mark, enough to boost its confidence heading into their quarterfinal duel against two-time UAAP champion Ateneo Blue Eagles on Wednesday.
“We slowly learn how to execute well down the stretch. That was our big problem the last two seasons (in the UAAP),” said coach Leo Austria. “Hopefully we can carry this come the UAAP campaign.”
The loss forced JRU to a three-way tie for first with idle teams San Sebastian and defending champion Far Eastern U with identical 6-2 records. But it will be the Stags and the Tamaraws who will gain the Top 2 seedings based on a higher tiebreak while while the Heavy Bombers fell to No. 3.
Thus San Sebastian will battle La Salle, FEU meets University of the Philippines and JRU faces San Beda in the other quarterfinal pairings.
Alex Nuyles scored 16 of his 17 points in the second half while veteran big man Jan Colina and Eric Camson added 11 points each for the Falcons.
Adamson led by 15 points twice, the last at 52-37 with 6:02 left in the third on Jerick Canada’s jumper.
JRU, which won its previous six games, stormed back and even grabbed a 61-60 lead on Hector Badua’s bank shot with 6:10 remaining in the final quarter.
But Nuyles answered quickly at the other end, his jumper sparking an 11-1 windup as JRU struggled to shoot down the stretch.
Cameroonian center Joe Etame led the Heavy Bombers, coming off a one-week training in Korea, with 15 points in the loss.
In other results, San Beda eliminated Perpetual Help from quarterfinal contention after a 110-76 rout of the Altas.
San Beda’s (6-1) win gave La Salle (4-3) a free ride in the quarterfinals since Perpetual ended the eliminations with a 3-4 card.
In the first game, National University needed two extensions in pulling off a 68-67 win over the RP under-18 team. The Bulldogs finished with a 3-5 record. – JVP, GMANews.TV
