Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
5 p.m. – UV vs CEC (High School)
6:30 p.m. – UC vs USPF (College)
The University of San Carlos Warriors suffered a double black eye on Tuesday night as they not only lost against the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers but will also miss the services of four big men in their game this weekend against the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars.
However, the proud Warriors are ready to put the incident behind them and are preparing for their clash against the Jaguars, as they try to secure a spot in the Final Four with just three games to go on their elimination round schedule.
At 6-3 (win-loss), USC is still in second place but have the Jaguars in close pursuit at 4-2.
A top-two finish at the end of the elimination round would mean a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.
“We will just have to play our best against USJ-R,” said USC head coach Bong Abad, who admitted to not admonishing big men Malcolm Tan, Kenn Oguis, Kent Cabanog and Leo Labiste for stepping onto the playing court during a brief skirmish between USPF forward Edwin Villarta and USC’s John Reel Saycon with 13 seconds left in the game, an act that got them ejected and suspended for the USJ-R game this weekend.
“It already happened so we have to move on already,” added Abad.
Julius Cadavis, the lone big man on the roster for the Jaguars match, said he was ready to take on the challenge, even if it meant playing every second of the game.
“I’ll do whatever it takes in order for us to win,” said the former Arellano University chief.
Meanwhile, the Panthers look to continue on their giant-killing ways when they battle the reeling University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters today, with an eye on gaining a tie for the fourth spot in the standings.
The Webmasters, on the other hand, seek to fortify their precarious hold on the last ticket to the semis and put a stop to a two-game slump.
In the high school division, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers aim to move closer to an automatic finals berth, when they clash with the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons.
Already at 7-0, UV needs only two more wins to sweep the elimination round and move on outright to the championship round.
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