Undefeated Phinma Cobras take solo lead in Cesafi 2019 college division

Sir Shaquille Imperial scored a go ahead layup to bring the Southwestern University Cobras past the University of San Carlos Warriors during their game on Saturday, September 21. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

Cesafi Games on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at the Cebu Coliseum

High School

12:30 p.m.  USPF vs UCLM

2 p.m. USJ-R vs SWU Phinma

3:30 p.m. CEC vs USC

College

5 p.m. USPF vs CIT-U

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A clutch shot from Sir Shaquille Imperial with 7.8 seconds remaining in the ballgame paved the way for Southwestern University (SWU) Phinma Cobras to take on the solo leadership in the college division of the 2019 Cesafi Men’s basketball Tournament.

William Rosebelt Polican, then, with his two gift shots, sealed the win for the Cobras against the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 62-59, during their game on Saturday, September 21, 2019.

The win gave the Cobras a clean 3-0 win-loss record and dropping the Warriors to the second spot with a 3-2 card.

“Lucky rebound to. Ako matawag ato lucky rebound kay wa na mi ga expect kay wa nami oras. Nag stick lang mi sa system ni coach Mike (Reyes),” said Imperial.

(That was a lucky rebound. I call that a lucky rebound because we weren’t expecting anymore because time was running out. We just stuck with coach Mike’s system.)

The Warriors had the upper hand from the start of the game taking a five-point lead in the first quarter, 19-14, which they increased to seven points, 34-27, at the halftime break.

With the solo leadership on the line, the Cobras were not about to give up and opened the third quarter with four straight points courtesy of import Lamine Thiam and Allyn Dyll Roncal to bring USC’s lead down to three, 33-36.

Thiam top-scored for the Cobras with 24 points.

“Grabe ilang pangandam sa amoa and kami sad, both teams, pangandam mi sa ilaha then pangandam sad sila sa amoa. Then first, second third, grabe mi ka off nya ni adjust mi sa among defense, ana si, amo head coach, coach Mike na stick lang mi sa amo system nya focus sa among defense,” added Imperial.

(They prepared for us, and we did too.  We were off during first, second and third quarters because we were still making adjustments with our defense. Coach Mike told us to stick to our system and focus on our defense.)

In the fourth quarter, the game got tied twice before USC managed to wedge a four-point gap courtesy of Joshua “Magic” Marata.

But Polican kept the Cobras close at just a basket behind until Imperial managed to hit the clutch shot with just seconds remaining.

Kurt Ian Trangia led USC with 18 points.

In the other collegiate game, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters evened their record at 2-2 with their 81-64 clobbering of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars.

The USJ-R Jaguars, last year’s runner-up, dropped to a 1-2 card.

“I feel proud. We feel proud as a team, we took the challenge na kailangan jud namo madaug, padung na mahuman ang first (round of elimination),” said Paul Abimelech Galinato.

(I feel proud. We feel proud as a team that we took the challenge to score another win because the first round is almost over.)

Galinato and import Tosh Sesay towed the Webmasters with 17 points each.

The Jaguars were just a basket behind the Webmasters at the end of the first quarter, 17-19, but the Webmasters started controlling the game until the final canto when they brought their lead up to 31 points, 79-48.

Renz Solomon led the Jaguars with 11 points.

In the high school division, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles posted their first win at the expense of Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) Greywolves, 69-59.

The other game had the defending champions UC Baby Webmasters extending their streak to 3-0 with a 65-60 outsmarting of the Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) Wildkittens. /dcb

BOXSCORES

College

First Game:

SWU Phinma Cobras (62) – Thiam 24, Cachuela 10, Roncal 10, Imperial 7, Polican 4, Fernandez 3, Sanchez 2.

USC Warriors (59) – Trangia 18, Marata 11, Langres 8, Brillo 5, Jelianggao 5, Managor 5, Mangubat 5, Gabutan 2.   

Second Game:

UC Webmasters (81) – Galinato 17, Sesay 17, Menina 16, Pacaña 14, Gabisan 3, Lawas 3, Dela Cerna 2, Jabello 2.

USJ-R Jaguars (64) – Solomon 11, Camara 10, Echavez 10, Mondares 9, Gastador 7, Carin 5, Robles 4, Cabulao 3, Paras 3, Rodriguez 2.

High School

First Game:

SHS-AdC Magis Eagles (69) – Boniel 25, Casinillo 12, Dinglasan 10, Aguilar 6, Celis 4, Dadang 3, Laput 3, Jordan 2, Tangkay 2, Villamayor 2.

DBTC Greywolves (59) – Dizon 15, Escobido 14, Panimdim 13, Barbera 6, Anog 5, Lumen 4, Cabañero 2.

Second Game:

UC Baby Webmasters (65) – Lapiz 16, Balaga 9, Micutuan 9, Pondoc 9, Gako 6, Blanco 5, Acenas 2, Enriquez 2, Leonard 2, Sevellejo 2, Gelig 1.

CIT-U Wildkittens (60) – Claro 17, Versales 10, Tongcos 9, Tirol 6, Antipuesto 5, Cabrera 4, Reyes 3, Salutillo 3, Genandoy 2, Rallon 1.