Popoy Actub of UV Baby Lancers slips past USJ-R’s defenders during their Cesafi high school division game at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday. CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
GAMES TODAY (CEBU COLISEUM)
1 P.M. – HIGH SCHOOL ALL STAR GAME
2:30 P.M. – THREE-POINT SHOOTOUT
3:30 P.M. – SLAM DUNK COMPETITION
4:30 P.M. – COLLEGE ALL STAR GAME
There will be a Final Four in the Cesafi juniors basketball tournament. The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars made sure of that as they beat the reigning champions University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, 76-68, during the final day of eliminations yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The win snapped UV’s incredible 19-game winning streak dating back to last season. In spite of the loss, the Baby Lancers will still be the top seed at 8-1 and will face off against the fourth seed University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF).
The University of Cebu (UC) takes the second seed and will face off against USJ-R which finished with a 6-3 record.
UV and UC will have a twice to beat advantage.
Kendrick Abarquez and Sean Co had 16 points each, the former adding five rebounds, two steals and four blocks.
Meanwhile, perennial high school hoops powerhouse and four-time Cesafi champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu will not be in the Final Four after they got beaten by the Don Bosco Greywolves, 61-64.
The heartbreaking loss gave the Magis Eagles a 4-5 record at the end of the round-robin elimination round.
Don Bosco, already out of contention for the next round, instead played like it was vying for a spot in the semis, led by Miles Ricana who scored 12 points. Joshua Canoy also filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
The Greywolves ended this season with a 2-7 record.
Coming off a loss to the USPF on Friday night, the Magis Eagles could not get anything going and leaned on two-guard Koko Tuadles who scored 34 points highlighted by nine three-pointers.
“It hurts that we missed the opportunity to be in the playoffs this year. But I understand that this is basketball and anything can happen. I have to give credit to all our opponents, they have done well,” said Ateneo de Cebu head coach Rommel Rasmo.
The last time the Magis Eagles did not make the playoffs was back in 2009.
“I am very proud of my players that even if we came up short, I know that they worked hard and sacrificed a lot for the team. And I have faith that there is more out there for us. We will learn from this defeat and will continue to strive in the upcoming tournaments,” he added.
Meanwhile, USPF routed the University of San Carlos, 77-52. The Baby Panthers were up six, 29-23, at halftime but broke the game wide open in the third wherein they outscored the Baby Warriors, 22-11, to take a 51-34 lead to the fourth.
The Cebu Institute of Technology-University also ended their season on a winning note, crushing the Cebu Eastern College Dragons, 88-55.