UV not taking depleted SWU lightly in today’s Cesafi men’s hoop encounter

NO EASY PREY

Games today
Cebu Coliseum
5:00 p.m. – USJ-R vs CEC (Jrs.)
6:30 p.m. – UV vs SWU (Srs.)

The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers will not be taking any chances when they face off against the defending champions Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras in the latest chapter of the intense rivalry between these two teams, in the 15th Cesafi men’s basketball competition tonight at the Cebu Coliseum.

UV head coach Gary Cortes, for one, sees the Cobras as a dangerous opponent in spite of their nine-man crew owing to SWU’s vast championship mettle and experienced coaching staff.

“Sa ngalan pa lang daan – Cobras. So mutuklaw jud na na sila. They have talented players. They have a great coaching staff so even though they have just nine players, we’re not going to take them lightly,” shared Cortes.

Apart from the team that will be standing in front of them today, Cortes said that they must also take care of business on their side of the fence especially after suffering a crushing 69-79 defeat – their first this season – at the hands of the rampaging University of San Carlos Warriors in their marquee match-up last weekend.

“We have to work on our cohesion. Labi na atong last game namo nga naunhan mi, everybody started to go one on one. Gusto mulabaw dayun which you really can’t do in basketball. We have to be patient with our execution,” said the former defensive sentinel of UV turned mentor.

At 4-1 (win-loss), the Lancers will be trying to end their first round stint on a winning note but will have to tough it out against a Cobras team that has played to their strengths and in turn, has won three straight games because of it. As expected, SWU’s attack will be spearheaded by two-time league MVP, Mark Jayven Tallo, who is putting up stellar averages of 14.8 points, 12 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

The difference-maker though, will be the play of UV’s 6-foot-8 reinforcement Steve Akomo who has proven to be unstoppable this season with 11.7 points, 10.7 boards, 2.7 steals and a league-leading two blocks per outing.

In the juniors division, the University of San Jose-Recoletos Baby Jaguars (2-2) will lock horns with the Cebu Eastern College Dragons. (1-3).