Victor Rabat of USC stretches for a layup against Josue Segumpan of UV.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
All of a sudden, victories are hard to come by for the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers.
The Green Lancers, last year’s losing finalists, absorbed a second straight setback as they bowed to the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 75-89, last night in the seniors division of the 16th Cesafi basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.
UV came into the match reeling from a 67-73 loss to the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars. Instead of recovering from the sorry loss that saw them squander a 15-point fourth quarter lead, the Green Lancers sputtered as they received some beating after allowing the Warriors to lead right from the get go.
Kevin Oleodo top scored for USC with 16 points, Jules Langres submitter 12, Lucky Ecarma added 11 and Giovannie Laguyo contributed 10 in the Warriors’ fifth victory in nine games.
Josue Segumpan and Bassiere Sackot each fired 19 points but the duo couldn’t help the Green Lancers stop the bleeding as they dropped to 6-3 (win-loss).
USC took a 44-34 halftime lead and UV seemed to have found its rhythm when a searing run shoved them to within 46-47.
Coming to the rescue for USC were Oleodo and Laguyo, who each fired a triple in a 11-0 run that gave the Warriors another double-digit spread, 58-46.
USC cruised from that point on and led by as many as 17 in the payoff period.
Baby Lancers win
Action in the secondary division saw the Baby Lancers clawing the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 85-73.
Jancork Cabahug scored 15 points, John Luis Escobar piled up 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Roosvelt Jelianggao added 10 as the Baby Lancers moved up to solo third place in the standings with their fifth win in seven games.
UV’s win relegated the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters and Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons to joint fourth place with identical 5-3 records.
With the win already in the bag, UV lost Joshua Yerro, who was ejected late in the game after committing his second unsportsmanlike foul.
Christopher Erick wound up with game-high 21 points for USPF, which tasted its sixth defeat in eight matches.