IN this file photo, Richy Managor of USPF grabs a rebound in a Cesafi men’s basketball game against the USC Warriors last Aug. 10 at the Cebu Coliseum.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
The University of Southern Philippines (USPF) Panthers blitzed the Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras at the start then held steady in the end to author a morale-boosting, 80-71 win Thursday night in the 17th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament at the New Cebu Coliseum.
Wingman Lyndon Colina led all scorers with 18 points including a midrange jumper that raised the Panthers’ lead to 11, 80-69 with 18.4 seconds to go. Edwin Villarta also had a stellar game of his own, tallying 13 markers, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to help USPF finish the first round with a 2-4 record.
The Panthers started off strong, stringing together four three-pointers in the first four minutes to surge in front, 14-4, before raising it to 25-11, after the first quarter. The Panthers kept their foot on the gas pedal – buoyed by a relentless pressure defense – and erected a 19-point bulge, 44-25, after a deuce by Colina near the end of the first half.
But the Cobras found rhythm and rattled off a 13-2 rally to trim the deficit to nine, 53-62, heading to the final canto. SWU-Phinma kept on pushing and came within seven, 67-74, after a corner triple by Daryl Nazareno and a free-throw by William Polican, time down to 2:32.
However, the Panthers did not budge and put the game away with back-to-back putbacks by RR Cauba that brought their lead back to double-digits, 78-67, with 48.3 ticks to go.
John Lloyd Luz paced the Cobras with 15 points and five assists while Nazareno and Edmundo Bayhonan pieced together 13 each. The Cobras, which won 14 straight games to start the season last year, have now lost three straight and now own the second worst record in the league at 1-5.
Meanwhile in high school action, the Don Bosco Greywolves improved to 2-4 with an 86-77 win over the USPF Baby Panthers. Grenal Malubay was Don Bosco’s high-pointer with 19 while Christian Boyboy added 18.
The Baby Panthers remain winless in six games.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
