MANILA – Adamson University Falcons rode on a hot start by AJ Fransman to defeat University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 69-56, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Fransman, a transferee from the Enderun College Titans, finished with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds to go with two assists and two steals as the Falcons improved to a 2-1 win-loss slate.
Down 8-18 early in the opening quarter, the Falcons got consecutive three-pointers from Fransman in the second quarter as they tied the score at 27-all before taking a slim 33-32 halftime lead.
The Falcons turned on their defense in the third period, limiting the Growling Tigers to six points, before they pulled away behind triples by Matthew Montebon and connections from Royce Mantua for their biggest lead of 20 points at 67-47.
Montebon top-scored for the Falcons with 15 points to go with five rebounds and four assists, while former Growling Tigers guard Mantua ended with 11 markers for the Falcons.
Nicael Cabanero was the lone double-digit scorer for the Growling Tigers with 16 points, while foreign student athlete Mohammed Tounkara was held to just seven points. They dropped to 2-1.
On Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons survived a fourth quarter run by University of the East Red Warriors for an 81-71 victory.
Leading by as many as 27 points in the third quarter, the Fighting Maroons were stunned by a huge fight back by the Red Warriors to cut the deficit to 65-76 but JD Cagulangan responded with a triple to increase UP’s lead to 79-65.
The Red Warriors still managed to trim the Fighting Maroons’ lead to 69-79 before Quentin Millora-Brown drained two free throws to make it an 81-69 spread with over a minute left.
Cagulangan was the lone double-digit scorer for the Fighting Maroons with 21 points, including five three-pointers, to go with seven rebounds and four assists as they improved to a 2-0 win-loss slate./PN
BOX SCORE:
ADAMSON 69 – Montebon 15, Fransman 11, Mantua 11, Erolon 6, Yerro 5, Calisay 5, Manzano 5, Ramos 5, Barasi 2, Ojarikre 2, Anabo 2, Ronzone 0, Ignacio 0, Dignadice 0.
UST 56 – Cabañero 16, Manaytay 9, Tounkara 7, Paranada 6, Lane 4, Robinson 3, Pangilinan 3, Padrigao 2, Estacio 2, Llemit 2, Laure 2, Acido 0, Crisostomo 0, Mahmood 0.
Quarterscores: 13-20, 33-32, 52-39, 69-56.
