FilOil: Cruz hits 25 as Falcons fly by Blazers

The Adamson University Falcons soared above the .500 mark anew after pouncing on the College of St. Benilde Blazers, 80-63, on Saturday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

In a match-up dubbed the “Battle of the Hosts,” as both teams will be hosting their respective collegiate leagues this coming season, the Falcons outplayed the Blazers by going on a crucial 12-2 run, while limiting the Blazers to only four field goals in the final period.

The Falcons have now won two straight games after dispatching the nascent Heavy Bombers on May 15. Adamson bolsters its playoff bid by clinging to the fourth spot (3-2). The Blazers are now a half game behind the fifth-seeded FEU Tamaraws (3-3) in Group A play (2-4).

Adamson coach Leo Austria was coming off a triple overtime win against the Westports Malaysia Dragons last night in the ABL, where he led his San Miguel Beermen to a 106-104 victory.

Jericho Cruz led his team with 25 points on an 8-of-15 performance, six rebounds and four assists. Playing Shaq to Cruz’s Kobe was Ingrid Sewa with 24 points (10-of-13 FG) and 12 rebounds, while fellow big man Rodney Brondial added 13 markers and seven rebounds, scoring six straight points in the fourth to put the wily Blazers away for good.

“Slowly talagang nag-eemerge itong tatlong ito eh. They have never been in the game at the same time. Imagine these three players always in the same team. There’s a time na nagkakasama-sama sila. I’m planning in the next few days na magkasawsawan sila. Sabi nga formidable. I hope dumating sa point na yun eh”, said coach Austria.

The Falcons made 32 of their 68 attempts from the field while adding 13 bonus points from the free throw line. They also edged the Blazers in the rebounding department, hauling in 39 boards to CSB’s 32, and had 18 second-chance points and 17 turnover points.

The Falcons won the opening tip, but failed to convert on a shot inside by Sewa. Fons Saavedra scored the game’s first two points after a 21-footer, but Sewa replied with two of his own. Benilde deployed a running game while coach Austria encouraged his team to keep dumping the ball down low to Sewa. The Blazers quickly read the Falcons’ strategy, and a steal by Mark Romero led to an easy fast break basket, prompting Austria to call time, 8-6.

Adamson’s guards started attacking a bit more inside, taking the focus off Sewa, but still dumping the ball to him. The plan worked, as Sewa responded with a stab inside, 8-8. Benilde, however, kept running, and a lay-up by Luis Sinco gave Benilde the lead at 13-12. After being awarded two free throws, Cruz streaked to the basket on their next possession and handed the ball to a wide-open Sewa, who slammed it home to give them a 17-12 advantage.

A hook shot by Benilde slotman Alyson Carlos cut the lead to three, but Sewa again found himself open for an easy two, 19-14. On Benilde’s next possession, Taha rushed to the basket and bumped Sewa. Taha made a subsequent basket plus a foul, but looked shook up after his collision with the 6’8” Cameroonian.  On Adamson’s last possession, Cruz made a turn-around jumper off a fumble to give the Falcons a 21-17 first quarter lead.

Cruz widened the gap with an easy lay-in off a Benilde turnover, 23-17, but CSB reserve Dexter Garcia countered with a reverse lay-up, 23-19. The referees slapped Benilde swingman Paolo Taha with a technical foul after he threw an elbow against Cruz, which led to two free throws. On the bonus possession, he committed an offensive foul, which resulted in a basket by CSB forward Ralph Deles, 27-21. Following a jumper by CSB reserve Travis Jonson from the left wing, the Falcons went on a 7-2 run, with contributions from Eric Cabigas, Abrigo, and Brondial.

Romero was fouled on a drive to the basket, and sank the free throw to make it a 34-28 game. A split by Saavedra and a floater by Jonson prompted coach Austria to call another timeout, and Rios responded for Adamson by making a lay-up over two Benilde defenders. Coach Gabby Velasco of CSB burned one of his side's quick breaks, but his team's offense failed to produce anything. Marc Agustin then banked a jumper to give Adamson a 38-31 lead heading to the intermission.


JR Ongteco cut the lead to five early in the third with an easy stab, but Jansen Rios countered with a fast break basket to keep Adamson ahead, 40-33. In response, the Blazers went on an 8-3 run, courtesy of two triples by Saavedra and a lay-in by Sinco, to get within two, 43-41. Sewa, however, retrieved an Adamson miss and flushed the ball through the hoop, 45-41.

Ryan Monteclaro extended the Adamson lead to 48-41 with a triple, but another running basket by Garcia kept them within striking distance, 48-43. Sewa accomplished another three-point play, 51-43, only for a lay-in by Romero and two free throws by Taha to allow CSB to stay close at 51-47.

The Blazers got within two after Romero finished a trip to the basket, but five straight points from Cruz, Monteclaro, and rookie Dawn Ochea extended the lead to seven, 56-49. Free throws and a fast break basket by Romero inched CSB closer at 56-53 but Cruz beat the buzzer with a lay-up to give the Falcons a five-point advantage heading to the fourth, 58-53.

Coach Velasco and his boys kept lingering around Adamson’s lead but finally lost grip on the game, as Adamson swooped in for a decisive 12-2 run after Romero scored one of his team’s four field goals in the last quarter. The Blazers looked gassed while the Falcons kept moving the ball inside and out. Ongteco was slapped with an unsportsmanlike foul and Sewa made a split to give Adamson its biggest lead at 80-61. A lay-up by Taha ended the game at 80-63.

The Blazers made 25 of their 57 field goals (44 percent) while adding 10 from the charity stripe. They made only six points off 14 offensive rebounds and scored 13 points off 16 Adamson turnovers.

Romero led his team with 21 points, making nine of his 11 attempts from inside the arc, while Saavedra and Taha each had nine points.

The Falcons can perk up their record when they face off against the winless UP Maroons (0-5) on Friday, May 24 at 2:30om, while the Blazers can keep their playoff hopes alive with a win against FEU, the third best team in their division (3-2). - RAF, GMA News


The scores:

AdU – Cruz 25, Sewa 24, Brondial 13, Rios 6, Monteclaro 4, Abrigo 2, Ochea 2, Cabigas 2, Agustin 2, Inigo 0, Cabrera 0, Petilos 0, Bernabe 0, Trollano 0

CSB – Romero 21, Saavedra 9, Taha 9, Sinco 7, Ongteco 4, Jonson 4, Garcia 4, Carlos 2, Deles 2, Grey 1, Nayve 0, Argamino 0

Quarter scoring: 21-17, 38-31, 58-53, 80-63