USJ-R’s Segamars Ewenike tries to stop USC’s Roosevelt Jelianggao in their semifinals game at the Cebu Coliseum.
Junjie Mendoza
The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars advanced to the 2018 Cesafi men’s basketball tournament for the first time in 10 years.
They will face defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers who are gunning for a rare “three-peat.”
The Jaguars came all the way back from a 21-point deficit to take down the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors in the Final Four, 80-66, and make their way to the finals on Saturday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Green Lancers, for their part, pushed ahead in their bid for a rare “three-peat” as they eliminated the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters with a 64-62 win in the Final Four.
Down 12-33 early in the second, Jaguars star and reigning MVP Jaybie Mantilla admitted that flashes of last season’s colossal meltdown against the University of Cebu went through his mind.
“This is my final season playing for USJ-R. I just wanted to give something back to the school and the community that has supported us all these years,” shared Mantilla.
Mantilla got plenty of help as four others scored in double figures. Gastador added 13, Segamars Ewenike and Ubalde had 12 markers each while RJ Dinolan, who missed his graduation ceremonies in lieu of this game, chipped in 10.
The last time the Jaguars made it this far was in 2008 when a team led by the likes of Luther Justiniani, Jan Malinao, Armand Ponce and Lyndon Gudez lost to the University of the Visayas, who at the time still had current Barangay Ginebra star, Greg Slaughter.
Gunning for ‘three-peat’
The Green Lancers, on the other hand, made their move in the third where an 11-2 run sparked by reserve Jafet Claridad turned a 32-34 deficit into a 43-36 lead.
UV will be taking on USJ-R in the finals with Game 1 slated on Thursday.
Rey Suerte led the Green Lancers with 21 points and nine rebounds while Segumpan put up 11.
Senior guard Justine Dacalos, playing in his very last game, left it all on the floor and scored 24 points.
John Jabello added 14 before fouling out in the fourth.
The missing link was Cameroonian forward Frederick Elombi who had just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting.
Meanwhile, the UV Baby Lancers and the UC Junior Webmasters arranged a championship showdown after they bested their respective opponents in dominant fashion in the semifinals of the 2018 Cesafi juniors basketball tournament.
UV routed the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers, 89-65, to make it back to the finals for a third straight season.
UC, on the other hand, blew away the USJ-R Baby Jaguars, 76-62, to return to the best-of-three finals for the first time since 2015.
Wily point guard Gabriel Cometa led the way for UV as he scored 24 points and added five rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Reigning MVP Beirn Laurente had his best game of the season, piling up 20 points to go with five boards, three assists and two steals.
Joshua Yerro added a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds laced with three assists and four steals.
For UC, Isaiah Blanco had his breakout game, tallying 13 points, six rebounds and two assists while Jan Jerick Ranido added 12 points and five assists.
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