THE FINALS of the Under-15 Division 1 of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) will feature a backcourt showdown between University of the Visayas’ (UV) prodigy, Steve Nash Enriquez, and University of San Carlos (USC) North’s Reinhard Jumamoy, a Jr. NBA National All Star.
This after USC-North and the UV advanced to the championship round by beating their respective opponents in the semifinals last weekend at the Ateneo de Cebu basketball courts along Mango Avenue.
UV crushed the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), 94-54, while USC North edged Ateneo de Cebu, 53-48.
While UV practically cruised to the win, USC North had to scratch and claw its way to the finals as it squandered a 39-32 lead at the start of the fourth and faced a 43-45 deficit.
But USC North regrouped and regained the lead, 47-45, after a steal by Jumamoy and a layup by Pio Ornopia. Jumamoy then fed Rauric Panimdim and Jericho Deloria for back-to-back buckets that sealed the win for USC North as it led, 51-46 with 30 seconds remaining.
Deloria led the winning side with 10 points while Kian Catubig added nine.
Jumamoy finished with just five but orchestrated USC North’s offense with aplomb.
Ateneo de Cebu made up for the loss in the Under-15 division by making it to the finals in the Under-12 class after it beat Don Bosco, 55-46.
Joash Cutamora and Kristian Porter proved to be too much to handle for the boys of Don Bosco as the former had 22 while the latter pumped in 16 to put them in the finals opposite UV.