Rey Suerte of the University of the Visayas blocks Kenn Patjes Oguis of the University of San Carlos in a Cesafi men’s basketball game at the Cebu Coliseum.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors has not forgotten the result of the 2016 Cesafi men’s finals. And they made sure to repay the reigning titlists in spades as they took down the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 78–73, in the 17th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the New Cebu Coliseum.
Tattooed tower of power Kent Cabanog had an auspicious debut as he dropped 17 points, including a banker that pushed their lead back to six, 74–68, and eventually kept UV at bay.
Victor Rabat also had 17 points and added five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Former Arellano University big man Julius Cadavis contributed 10 points, three boards and three assists.
After a neck-to-neck affair in the first 28 minutes, USC started to pull away with a 14–2 run that bridged the third and fourth periods to build a 60–49 lead. It eventually ballooned to 14, 72–58, after consecutive triples from Lucky Ecarma and Rabat, 2:49 remaining.
But the battle-tested Lancers refused to back down and came roaring back behind the heads-up plays of Jerome Napao, Bassiere Sackor and Rey Suerte whose lefty layup trimmed USC’s lead to four, 68–72.
However, on the next play, UV lost track of Cabanog who received a perfect entry pass, turned around and dropped in a deuce to quell the Green Lancers’ rally, with 55 seconds left. Suerte responded with another bucket, but transition layups by Cadavis and Saycon sealed the win for the Warriors.
Napao paced UV with 14 while Sackor, who was fielded in only during the second half, added 13. Josue Segumpan and Suerte had 11 each.
Meanwhile, in high school action, the UV Baby Lancers barely escaped the upset axe as they proved steadier in crunchtime to pull off a 68–62 win.
The win was by no means an easy one for the perennial powerhouse as they trailed 57–60 with a little over two minutes to go. But the Baby Lancers had little reason to fret as veteran guard Beirn Laurente put UV on his back and scored the next 10 points, capping off his one-man rampage with a booming three-pointer that put them ahead, 67–62, with just 50 seconds remaining.
Laurente finished with 16 points, while JJ Rosete added 12.
In the first game, Don Bosco opened their campaign with a 73–63 bashing of the USC Baby Warriors. Jayson Abejo scored 19 to pace the Greywolves, while Grenal Malubay chipped in 18. JB Damolo and Juan Miguel dela Torre helped out with 14 and 12 markers, respectively.
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