The University of the Visayas Baby Lancers and Green Lancers will both be gunning for a finals ticket when they go up against their semifinals opponent on Thursday afternoon, November 14, at the Cebu Coliseum. | CDND Photo / Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers and Green Lancers will be gunning for another chance to be double champions in the Cesafi basketball tournament as they open their semifinals campaign on Thursday afternoon, November 14, 2019, at the Cebu Coliseum.
UV is the only school which has won both high school and college titles in the same season.
They earned double-champions titles in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2017.
Thus, if they both successfully hurdle their semifinals opponents today, November 14, they will be on track for a seventh double title.
However, unlike in the previous years when they made it to the finals, both Green Lancers and Baby Lancers will not be enjoying the twice-to-beat advantage as they failed to end the elimination round at the top 2 spots.
Both finished at the third spot in their respective divisions.
In the high school division, the Baby Lancers dropped to the third spot after figuring in a triple tie with defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles.
The three teams finished with an 8-2 win-loss record.
However, after the Olympic Quotient System was applied to break the tie wherein the “points for” was divided by the “points against” UV was relegated to the third spot with the point difference of 0.762.
They will be contesting one of the finals ticket against the Magis Eagles who relegated them to the third spot with their point difference of 1.109.
Although, the Baby Lancers defeated the Magis Eagles with a nine-point advantage in their elimination game last September 14, 57-48, the Magis Eagles enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage, thus the pressure is more on the Baby Lancers.
In the College division, the Green Lancers are also in the third spot with an 8-4 card.
Although they tote an identical 8-4 card with the UC Webmasters, the Green Lancers dropped to third following the point/goal difference which was applied to break the simple tie.
Since UC swept UV in the double round elimination, UC takes the second spot and the twice-to-beat advantage while UV drops to the third spot.
While, UC may be boosted by their elimination round success and the twice-to-beat advantage, UV has the playoffs experience as they are gunning for their fourth straight title.
Semifinal Games Thursday, November 14, 2019 at Cebu Coliseum
5:15 p.m. SHS-AdC vs UV
6:45 p.m. UC vs UV
/ celr