PCCL: Jericho Cruz powers Adamson to win over Mapua

The Adamson University Soaring Falcons dispatched the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals, 88-79, to advance to the round of 16, in day three of the Metro Manila Qualifiers of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, Thursday at the FilOil Flying V Arena. The Falcons actually made it all the way to the Finals in 2010, before falling to eventual champions Ateneo in three games. Last year, the Falcons defeated JRU in the third round, but lost to eventual titlists San Sebastian College Stags in overtime. The two sides entered the game with matching 2-0 records in group B, but Leo Austria's boys were a step quicker all throughout. A barrage of triples in the first half gave Adamson a dominant 55-35 lead, with Roider Cabrera leading the way with 16 points, 12 coming from downtown. The Falcons also pressured the Cardinals into 16 turnovers, which they converted into 24 points. The Falcons looked ready to cruise all the way until the final buzzer, following a third quarter that saw Mapua take away just a single point from their lead, but Mike Parala and Joseph Eriobu keyed in a 9-2 run to make it an 88-77 game, 1:29 left, following a Kenneth Ighalo lay-in after a steal. Off a timeout, Rodney Brondial released an air ball, and Cabrera missed on the put-back, leaving the door for an MIT comeback slightly ajar, but on the next possession, Ighalo would lose the ball on a drive with 57.9 seconds remaining. Adamson got another empty possession, but killed enough time in the process, such that Mike Parala's basket with 27 seconds left merely shrunk their final deficit. Jericho Cruz had 20 points to lead Adamson. Admason faces the winner of JRU vs UE on Friday in Tanuan, Batangas City. - AMD, GMA News