SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines—Two crestfallen squads in the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball tournament battle for pride as they slug it out on Saturday, September 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Adamson Soaring Falcons (4-9) vs UE Red Warriors (5-7)
Game time: 2:00 PM
First round meeting: Adamson (78) – (71) UE
READ: Adamson leans on fast start to upend UE
Why Adamson will win: It’s probably the Soaring Falcons’ last game under coach Leo Austria after the mentor announced his farewell two weeks ago. With that, the Adamson crew will go all out to give back to their beloved coach, who steered the school to 3 Final Four appearances over the last 7 years. Rodney Brondial, Roider Cabrera, and Jericho Cruz—guys who have been part of Austria’s system since Day 1—should show today everything they’ve learned from him through the years.
Why UE will win: Speaking of drama, Coach Boycie Zamar reminded his boys to hold their heads up high after a heart-breaking setback against the Blue Eagles. That’s the attitude the wounded Warriors will have to show while facing adversity. Ralf Olivares is back in action to give the Recto squad some more firepower. JM Noble has been steady in their last few games. Roi Sumang has been the Warriors’ leader since the start of this season, so the entire UE team must show the same maturity.
Key Match-up:
Ingrid Sewa (9.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG) vs Charles Mammie (13.6 PPG, 18.6 RPG)
The league’s two most physically-imposing centers collide this Saturday. It will be a gargantuan match-up at the post when the two giants take on each other. Mammie is more skilled but Sewa’s massive frame limited the Red Warrior to a low of 9 points in their first round duel. Mammie’s a step quicker than Sewa though, so that would be his main weapon against the Falcon.
X-Factors:
Adamson: Jericho Cruz
It’s time to explode for Jericho Cruz. He will be a headache for the Red Warriors and he must utilize his well-rounded skill set to help the Falcons end their season on a winning note.
UE: Ralf Olivares
Olivares is back on the floor after a two-game suspension. Now is chance to redeem himself and help the Red Warriors on offense. He must also keep his mind in the game and avoid any unnecessary actions in his last UAAP outing.
What this game means: Basically, both teams just want to salvage pride after disappointing seasons. Tagged as contenders, the Red Warriors just want to get back on the road after crashing out of contention for the Final Four. In probably their final game under head coach Leo Austria, the Soaring Falcons just want to give back to their mentor. – Rappler.com
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