GAMES TODAY:
CEBU COLISEUM
(HIGH SCHOOL)
1:00 PM – UV vs USPF
2:30 PM – UC vs USJ-R
(COLLEGE)
4:00 PM – USJ-R vs USC
5:30 PM – UV vs UC
THE University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers are looking to make a return trip to the finals but first must hurdle the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers in the Final Four of the 2018 Cesafi juniors basketball tournament today at the Cebu Coliseum.
That match is part of an incredible four-game bill in the high school and college divisions that will determine who will move on to the best-of-three championship series.
The UV-USPF clash opens the hostilities at 1 p.m. and will be followed by the other high school semis clash between the University of Cebu (UC) and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R).
UV and UC need only one win to move on to the finals.
The Baby Lancers are coming off a 68-76 loss to USJ-R, which put a stop to their incredible 18-game winning streak that dated back to last season’s perfect run to the title.
Worse, it also denied UV an outright spot in the finals.
Nevertheless, UV assistant coach Ronald Bucao reported that his wards are in high spirits heading to the semis.
“The heart of a Lancer rises up after every fall. We’ve already forgotten about the setback and the team is determined to win tomorrow (today),” he said.
On the other side of the fence, USPF head coach Brian Jereza asserted that they have to play their brand of basketball to be able to keep up with the defending champions.
“They have to play Panthers kind of basketball to keep up with UV. And with the never-give-up attitude, I think we’ll have a chance,” said Jereza.
The collegiate semis will see the top-ranked USJ-R Jaguars battle the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the two-time defending champions UV tangles with bitter rivals, UC.
USJ-R and UV will have a twice-to-beat advantage in their respective matchups.