Paul GalinaTo of M Lhuillier/UC tries to get past the pesky defense of USPF in a Cesafi Partner’s Cup game at the Cebu Coliseum.
The M. Lhuillier-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters overcame a 14-point deficit and the loss of two key players down the stretch to defeat the Organique-University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 82-79, and book a spot in the finals of the 2018 Cesafi Partner’s Cup Preseason Tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
Tied at the top of the standings alongside the University of the Visayas Green Lancers at 5-0 (win-loss), the two protagonists in last year’s Cesafi finals will once again square off for all the marbles in a best-of-three championship series, which begins next Sunday, July 8.
Before that, the two squads face one another tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. in what will be each team’s final assignments for the elimination round.
Tournament rules stipulate that the top two finishers of the single round robin elimination phase will advance to the finals outright. Teams ranked third and fourth will battle for third place honors.
UC’s win yesterday was by no means an easy one as it fell behind, 6-20, in the first before rallying to pull within three at halftime, 40-43.
The third was where the Webmasters made their move, dropping an 11-0 bomb that saw baskets from Justine Dacalos, John Jabello and Frederick Elombi, to grab the upper hand, 62-51, heading to the final canto.
UC was still comfortably ahead, 76-64, when disaster struck, as Elombi committed his fifth and final foul, with 3:51 remaining.
The Panthers quickly took advantage of the size difference and slashed the deficit to just four, 72-76, after two transition buckets from forward Alje Mendez.
Then, prized recruit Darrell Shane Menina also fouled out with 1:31 to go, further reducing the Webmasters’ firepower.
Fortunately, Paul Galinato made four free throws to give UC some breathing room, 80-75.A layup by USPF guard Graggy Sarahina pulled the Panthers to within three, 77-80, but UC countered with a layup from Joven Tagudin to push its lead back to five, 82-77, with 11.6 ticks remaining.
USPF big man Richy Managor sank a deuce and UC guard Justine Dacalos left the door ajar as he missed two from the line. But Sarahina’s heave from past halfcourt went nowhere as time expired.
Elombi scored 19 to lead five different players in double-figures for UC. Jabello and Dacalos had 17 apiece, Galinato pitched in 13 while Menina scored 10.