Josue Segumpan of UV breaks free from the USC defense.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers continued their dominance of the southern collegiate basketball scene as they pushed past the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 82-73, to claim the championship in the Asia Pacific University Games basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
Former Cesafi MVP Rey Suerte solidified his reputation as the most promising player outside of Manila as he tallied 29 points highlighted by seven shots from downtown. He also scored 11 markers in the fourth period to stymie whatever comeback attempt the Warriors tried.
Gileant Delator scored 13 while Sheldon Gahi added 12 for UV.
USC was actually ahead, 42-40, at halftime before UV fired off nine unanswered points to wrest the upper hand for good.
Soliva scored a deuce, Melvin Butohan nailed a triple, Soliva added two from the line while Gahi canned a transition basket to put the Green Lancers up, 49-42.
Later in the period, Delator hit a tough fadeaway jumper at the third period buzzer to give UV a 63-53 lead heading to the game’s final chapter.
UV raised its lead to 13 but USC rallied to pull it back down to eight before Suerte swished a shotclock-beating triple that sparked an 8-2 run to bring their lead to 14, 80-66, time down to 3:35.
USC responded with a triple from Froilan Mangubat, but Suerte ended all doubt as to who would claim the title as he leaked out for an uncontested fastbreak layup for an 82-69 UV lead.