Cesafi seniors division: Green Lancers bow to UC Webmasters

Gileant Delator attempts a difficult pass against two Webmasters during their Sunday night, September 15, game at the Cebu Coliseum. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers faltered  in their quest for a fourth straight title after bowing to the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 72-64, in the seniors division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) played Sunday, September 15, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Prior to the lone collegiate game were three junior division games that saw University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers spoiling the start of the season for the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, 71-54.

The second junior division game had the UC Baby Webmasters keeping their slate clean at 2-0 with a 74-51 thrashing of the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors while the last game had Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) opening their bid with a heart-stopping 68-66 win over the Southwestern University (SWU) Phinma Baby Panthers.

The Webmasters finally barged into the win column after three tries. They waxed hot in the first quarter and posted an 11-point lead over the defending champions, 17-6.

Being the champions that they are, the Green Lancers rallied until Jancork Cabahug was able to tie the game at 19-all with a little more than five minutes left in the second quarter.

A triple from Cabahug gave UV the lead, 24-23, but UC’s Paul Abi Galinato managed to inflict another deadlock at 28-all.

After Cabahug swung the advantage back to UV’s side, four straight points from Melvin Butohan allowed the Green Lancers to go into the halftime break with a four-point advantage, 34-30.

It was then a seesaw game in the third quarter as the lead changed hands several times until UC top scorer Shane Menina brought the game to its third tie at 40-all with still seven minutes.

Mohamed Tosh Sesay scored nine points to allow UC to erect a nine-point lead over UV, 56-47, going into the final canto.

Menina became unstoppable scoring 11 of his 19 points with three triples in the final canto to keep the Green Lancers at a distance.

Cabahug topscored for the UV Green Lancers with 14 points. He was also the only player who scored in double figures. | dcb

BOXSCORES

SENIOR

UC Webmasters (72) – Menina 19, Sesay 18, Galinato 10, Jabello 10, Gravera 9, Gabisan 4, Manguerra 2.

UV Green Lancers (64) – Cabahug 14, Butohan 8, Saga 7, Maestre 7, Coulibaly 6, Maglasang 5, Cometa 4, Tarrosa 4, Gahi 3, Delator 2, Gellacone 2, Yulo 2.