Cebu bets Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles and NBTC Cebu champions University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers had contrasting fates in the ongoing SM-NBTC 2018 National Finals held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Magis Eagles are headed to the Elite Eight stage after they beat the Hope Christian High School (HCHS), 70-63, in the Sweet 16, yesterday morning.
Cebu’s other bet in the tournament, the UV Baby Lancers though, got ousted from the tournament by the Fil-Am Sports USA with a 102-68 rout in the day’s last Sweet 16 match.
It was a hard-earned victory for the one-time national champions Magis Eagles, who had to ward off several comeback attempts by HCHS before coming away with the win that propelled them to the next round.
However, waiting in the wings for them in the Elite Eight will be the reigning UAAP champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eaglets, which is being led by the towering 7-foot-2 center, Kai Sotto, and Mythical Five guard, SJ Belangel.
The Magis Eagles were in front for most of the game but HCHS last came knocking at 57-61, with less than two minutes remaining in the match.
However, Eroll Pastor ended all doubts as to which team will be advancing as he scored on a floater while getting fouled. He made the bonus free-throw to bring their lead back to seven, 64-57, and HCHS no longer threatened after that.
Crafty guard Travis Mantua led the way for the Magis Eagles with 20 points, four assists and three rebounds while Patrick Wilson Yu backed him up with 15 markers.
NBTC All Star Alex Visser and Pastor had double-double performances of 10 points and 11 boards, and 10 points and 12 rebounds, respectively.
The UV Baby Lancers, on the other hand, just could not get it going in the first half, falling behind 15-26 after the first 10 minutes of action.
The visiting team from the US then poured it on in the second, outscoring the Baby Lancers, 36-14, to open up a 62-29 berth that held until the game’s final buzzer.
Brandon Wilson and top prospect Jalen Green lived up to their respective billings as they each put up dominant numbers. Wilson had 31 points and 10 rebounds while Green had 21 highlighted by several crowd-pleasing slam dunks.
Jearolan Omandac paced UV with 12 points while Ivan Maata had 10. The team’s normal reliables sputtered in yesterday’s game as Jancork Cabahug managed just six while reigning Cesafi MVP, Beirn Laurente, was held scoreless.
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