Mark Tallo of SWU scoops up a shot against three USJ-R defenders in this bit of Sinulog Cup finals action at the Cebu Coliseum.
LITO TECSON
The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras won their first title of the year as they routed the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, 68-47, in an intensely-fought championship match in the 2014 Mayor Mike Rama Sinulog Cup basketball tournament Thursday night at the Cebu Coliseum.
With their ferocious physicality and hustle, the Jaguars were able to challenge the Cobras at every corner until the second half when the latter’s superior skill and talent shone through to give them the win, the title and the P50,000 cash prize that went along with it.
SWU’s mettle was pushed to the hilt near the end of the third period when USJ-R’s rookie Raymund Catipay elbowed the Cobras Daryl Goloran during a fastbreak sequence with 2:53 left in that period.
Not one to back down, Goloran stepped to the guard, which triggered a near free-for-all as USJ-R’s assistant coach Edito Salacut joined in on the fray by throwing a plastic bottle at the big man. Jaguars rookie Mart Mutya also got in on the action by getting in some jabs. However, when the dust cleared, it was only Goloran and Salacut that got thrown out of the game.
That fracas seemed to light a fire under the Cobras as Mark Jayven Tallo sank a straight-away three-pointer while Monbert Arong zoomed off for layup off a powerful block by import Landry Sanjo to give SWU a 57-40 lead, midway through the final canto.
USJ-R crawled to within 10 after seven straight points by veteran guard James Regalado but SWU was simply too overwhelming as they closed out the game with an 11-0 run anchored on the back-breaking baskets by Arong, Sanjo and Adams Mohammed.
Tallo finished the game with 22 points, 19 of which came in the first half, and was named as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He was joined in the Mythical Five by his teammates, Sanjo, Arong and Goloran along with USJ-R’s Regalado.
In the opener, the University of the Visayas took third place honors after winning over the University of San Carlos Warriors, 71-59.