Falcons seal showdown versus Stags

MANILA, Philippines - Caught up in a tight playing schedule, Adamson University flexed just enough muscle to whip Jose Rizal, 73-58, and advance into the next phase in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Sweet 16 stepladder knockout playoffs at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Kenyan center Austin Manyara unloaded seven points in a 17-4 fourth-quarter run that all but sealed it for the Falcons, whose coach and key players had to rush to the AdU gym immediately after the game to join Freego Jeans in the PBA D-League.

“We’re happy we won considering some of the players were thinking about our game for Freego, which was just one hour away. We were down in the first half and I told my players to concentrate on this game (PCCL) because this is our priority, student (league) first before commercial (league),” said Austria.

The Adamson and Freego mentor, in fact, sent Lester Alvarez, who suffered a toe injury in the first half, Roider Cabrera and Rodney Brondial to the Falcons’ gym ahead of the others.

Manyara (16 points, nine rebounds), Janus Lozada (14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) and Eric Camson (seven points, 13 rebounds) finished the match and followed suit, as did the JRU players in the Freego lineup, Jeckster Apinan (17 markers) and John Lopez (four points, 10 rebounds).

The Falcons forged a duel with NCAA runner-up San Sebastian tomorrow, facing the same predicament of another game set in the D-League.

The Bombers actually stormed ahead to 20-15 against a Falcons team that’s apparently conserving energy for their next assignment of the day.

In the second game, Letran nipped La Salle, 66-61, to advance against UAAP Season 74 runner-up Far Eastern.

Kevin Alas drilled in 14 points, including a clutch basket that gave the Knights a 63-59 cushion going to the last 1:22, in his valedictory before leaving for the US for a month-long training with American Basketball Association team LA Slam.

Raymond Almazan dished off a near-triple-double with 10 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks to complement Alas and the 14 points of Kevin Racal and 11 of Mark Cruz.

“This is a bonus win for us because we haven’t really been training together. Our practice is in conflict with that of the players’ D-League teams and as I promised them after the NCAA, I won’t force them to practice with Letran,” said Knights coach Louie Alas, who will also be gone for a month to be with Kevin and the family in the US.