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| Adamson Soaring Falcons center Papi Sarr shoots a jumper against NU Bulldogs' Issa Gaye in their tight match last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena. |
By Kevin Estrada
PASAY -- Adamson goes back to their winning ways and into .500 for the UAAP Season 80 Men's basketball tournament, downing NU on their own MOA floor for an 83-76 win Sunday evening.
Slotman Pape Sarr finally get back on his groove after being hobbled by injuries to start the season, coming with a double-double of 19 points and 13 boards to go 2-2 for the Soaring Falcons, forcing a three-way logjam at fourth along with their victims and FEU.
Getting the starting nod for the very first time this year, small forward Jonathan Espeleta and point guard Jerie Pingoy duly delivered for Franz Pumaren, chipping in 13 and 12 respectively to back-up the third-year Cameroonian center.
Pingoy then padded his season-high scoring by leading the league as the chief thief early this year, tying the entire NU team in steals by swiping the ball away from the Bulldogs a game-high six times.
After a 19-all first quarter, Adamson broke free from their shootout with the Bulldogs in the second period, with a back-breaking 11-0 run overturned a three-point deficit into a 38-30 lead before leading by 11 at the half.
The Falcons established the biggest lead at 13, 60-47 with 2:32 to go but NU won the quarter by a point to trail by ten heading into the final frame.
NU tried to mount a late surge in the payoff canto but they cannot go past the five-point barrier as Adamson wrapped up their second win of the season.
The Scores
Adamson 83 - Sarr 19, Ahanmisi 13, Espeleta 13, Pingoy 12, Manganti 5, Ochea 4, Camacho 4, Bernardo 4, Mustre 3, Manalang 2, Lojera 2, Zaldivar 2
NU 76 - Alejandro 25, Gaye 8, Bartlett 7, Lastimosa 7, Aquino 6, Mosqueda 6, Salem 3, Joson 3, Yu 3, Morido 2, Rangel 2, Diputado 2, Tibayan 2
Quarter scores: 19-19, 43-32, 60-50, 83-76
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
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