Adamson sets up title date with Australian team in Roxas City cagefest

Sports

BRIAN Kerle Basketball Academy and the Adamson University Soaring Falcons arranged a championship duel after scoring pulsating wins in the semifinal round of the Roxas City Invitational Basketball Tournament on Tuesday night, Aug. 25, at the packed Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center.

Brian Kerle rode on the heroics of Jacob Gray to edge out the hard-fighting University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) Altas, 81-80, while Adamson needed to go through a five-minute extension before beating the fancied De La Salle University Green Archers, 82-75.

The championship match will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, right after the 5 p.m. battle for third between La Salle and UPHSD.

Brian Kerle survived despite losing a 20-point lead as Jacob Gray scored on a putback with 1.8 seconds left.

Kerle’s game-winning basket came after UPHSD wrested the lead, 80-79, on a layup by Mark Jojo Cruz with 6.3 seconds left.

Tanuri Wigness led all scorers with 30 points, Gray tossed in 15 points and 15 rebounds. Max Kerle added 12 markers for Brian Kerle, which advanced to the final round with a spotless 5-0 (win-loss) card.

Cuz led the Altas with 17 points while Aries Borja, LA Casinillo, and JD Pagulayan added 14, 12, and 10 markers, respectively.

Adamson, on the other hand, made it two-in-a-row agains La Salle as it duplicated its equally close 72-69 win over the Green Archers in the elimination round.

Precious Jonah and Mathroven Erolon spearheaded Adamson 24 and 23 points, respectively.

Jacon Zion Cortez topped the Green Archers with 17 points while Moses Kulang and Manuel Luis Antonio Pablo had 13 and 10, respectively.(CCM)