Jed Cedrick Colonia of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu attacks the basket against Al Mendez of Don Bosco in yesterday’s action of the 16th Cesafi juniors basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu showed it is not a three-time defending champion for nothing.
The Magis Eagles shattered the mystique of Don Bosco as they obliterated the erstwhile unbeaten Greywolves, 73–48, in the 16th Cesafi juniors basketball tournament on Saturday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Greywolves came into this game with the strut of an undefeated hunter. However, 10 minutes into the game, their tails were already tucked in between their legs, facing a 9–27 deficit, which eventually set the tone for the wholly lopsided match.
The Magis Eagles now find themselves tied with their victims at the top of the standings at 4–1 (win-loss).
Small forward Errol Pastor led Ateneo de Cebu’s balanced attack with 12 points while Andrew Velasco added 10.
Reigning league MVP Jed Colonia supplied his usual all-around production of nine points, four rebounds and four assists.
Ranged against a rejuvenated Don Bosco squad that had been playing their best basketball in years, Ateneo de Cebu came out of the dugout with fire in their eyes and quickly established their dominance behind a relentless man-to-man defense that spawned numerous easy buckets.
A steal and an uncontested lay-up by Jeremy Nacua gave the boys in blue a 17–4 lead. Minutes later, Colonia capped the first with a triple that erected a 27–9 advantage. From there, things just kept on rolling downhill for the Greywolves as a triple by Patrick Yu and another lay-in by Benedict Chua put Ateneo de Cebu up by 26, 44–18, at halftime.
Ateneo then opened the third with eight straight points sparked by two inside baskets by Alex Visser, a nifty flip lay-up by Travis Mantua and a transition deuce by Yu that pushed them ahead further, 52–18.
The lead went as high as 37, 71–34, early in the fourth before a spirited run by the Greywolves brought the final margin down to 25.
Al Mendez led Don Bosco with 19 points while Ken Gato chipped in 11.
In the other high school matches, the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers tied Ateneo de Cebu at the top after routing the Cebu Eastern College Dragons, 80–56.
The University of San Carlos Baby Warriors, on the other hand, seized their first win of the tournament after beating the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildkittens, 72–64.
In the lone collegiate game of the day, the Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras grabbed the solo lead in the standings with a 73–61 win over the University of Cebu Webmasters.
The 2014 champions now hold an immaculate 5–0 mark.
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