UV wary of CIT-U

Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
(COLLEGE)
5 p.m. – UV vs CIT-U
6:30 p.m. – USPF vs UC

The reigning champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers will go for their fourth win in a row but will be taking a more cautious approach when they battle the confident Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats today in the 2018 Cesafi men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

A win today will give UV sole possession of second place in the standings, a remarkable feat considering they started the season with two straight losses and ended the first round with an even 3-3 (win-loss) mark. The Lancers currently have a 6-3 card.

UV head coach Gary Cortes is well aware of the Wildcats’ (2-7) prowess of late that saw the league’s bottom dweller beat the University of San Carlos (USC) and then, the previously unbeaten University of Cebu (UC) in their last game.

“We are aware that CIT is playing at a high level of basketball because they are playing with a nothing-to-lose mentality. That’s where their confidence is coming from and they are capable of beating all of the teams in the Cesafi even without an import. As a matter of fact, we were their victims a few seasons back,” said Cortes.

In the nightcap of today’s double-header, the Webmasters try to get back to their winning ways when they take on the embattled University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers.

UC head coach Yayoy Alcoseba said the loss was “good” for his wards as he hopes that that served as a “wake up call” for them.

Pressed for what he thought UC lacked last time out, a 75-81 loss to CIT-U, Alcoseba relayed that he believes his team, at that time, lacked “intensity, energy and a desire to play hard.”

Today, their opponent will be a USPF team that sits at 5-5 and have lost three of their last four games. After starting the season hot, the Panthers are now sitting at the edge of the Final Four scenario with the USC Warriors nipping at their heels at 4-6.