CEBU CITY, Philippines – After winning the 2019 Partner’s Cup at the expense of the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras were seen as a strong contender for this year’s Cesafi collegiate basketball title.
The Cobras have lived up to expectations at the start of the regular season after logging three straight wins before faltering in their first meeting with the Green Lancers, 71-66, last September 26, 2019.
Nevertheless, they still ended the first round with four wins and two losses in a tie with the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors at second place.
“I am satisfied with the results of the first round,” said SWU-Phinma coach Mike Reyes. “I understand we lost two games but we lost to UV. UV is still the team to beat even if we won the Partner’s Cup, UV is still the best, strongest team in the Cesafi.”
The Cobras second loss was an upset instigated by league bottom dweller Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 67-62, last September 28.
“Of course it is disappointing that we lost to CIT but that’s basketball,” Reyes added.
Reyes believes despite the loss, he still thinks this year is better compared to last season.
“The reason I’m satisfied now is last year after the first round, we ended last place, tied at the last place, we’re at the second place now so I’m still satisfied.”
Reyes sees the losses as something that jolted them back to reality.
“Expectations were very high after we won the Partner’s CUp. So, now that we lost that’s the reality, now that we lost, the team medyo goes back to the reality, that we are not a powerhouse team, expectations versus reality mao na ang malaking problema eh.”
According to Reyes, he credits their victories to the team playing their kind of game, which is to have more ball possessions.
“If you do not have the ball, you cannot score. In a game of basketball, the team that has the more possessions will have better chances of winning, lesser possessions, lesser chances of winning of course because lesser possessions means lesser attempts at the basket.”
In the second round, Reyes wants all of his players to do their part to lessen the burden on their foreign student athlete Lamine Thiam.
“The next is we try to lessen the burden from Lamine Thiam, we’re giving him too much responsibility. At least, our team offense has to work. It its very hard to rely on only one player because basketball is a 5-man game.” /bmjo