Chris Clyde Naong of UC pierces the UV defense in a Cesafi men’s basketball game at the Cebu Coliseum.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
Games today
Cebu Coliseum
5 p.m. – SHS-AdC vs Don Bosco (High School)
6:3o p.m. – UV vs USPF (College)
The reigning champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers learned the lessons from their stunning opening-weekend loss and recovered to repulse the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 72-61, in the 17th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the New Cebu Coliseum.
Playing with renewed focus and vigor following a 78-73 defeat to the University of San Carlos (USC) last Aug. 6, the Lancers grabbed their opponents by the throat early on and never let up en route to logging in their first win of the season.
Tristan Albina and Jerome Napao played key roles in getting the Lancers’ win as the former, a dynamic guard by way of Dumaguete City, had 17 points, while the latter, an energetic forward with a nose for the ball, added 11 points, seven rebounds, an assist, a steal and a blocked shot.
After a 20-17 start, the Green Lancers surged further in front with a 14-4 run that gave them a 34-23 lead. The Webmasters’ Michael Gonzaga led an 8-0 run to help UC narrow the gap, 31-34, but the Green Lancers closed the first half with back-to-back triples from Albina and Jiesel Tarrosa to head to the dugout up, 40-31.
The Webmasters closed to within 42-46, but the Green Lancers held their ground and responded with eight unanswered points – a three-pointer by Napao, a flip shot by Liberian forward Bassiere Sackour and another triple by Josue Segumpan – to push their lead back to 12, 54-42, 2:38 left in the third.
UC last threatened at, 57-64, but Napao and Sackour quickly nipped that uprising with a putback and two free-throws.
Cameroonian big man Frederick Elombi paced UC, which dropped to 1-1, with 15 points. However, the foreigner was hardly efficient as he shot 6-for-18, and was especially woeful from the free-throw line, missing all but three of his 10 attempts there.
The Lancers will try for their second straight win today when they tangle with the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers (1-1).
In high school action, the four-time defending champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles will seek to soar to their third win in a row when they battle the formidable Don Bosco Greywolves (1-1).
The Scores:
UV (72) Albina 17, Napao 11, Segumpan 9, Sackour 8, Suerte 7, Maestre 6, Soliva 6, Testa 4, Tarrosa 3, Cabahug 1
UC (61) Elombi 15, Codilla 9, Tagudin 7, Dela Cruz 6, Jabello 6, Naong 6, Gonzaga 5, Puerto 4, Kishimoto 3