Shane Menina of UC is being defended by Gab Cometa of UV in a Cesafi men’s basketball semifinal game on Thursday, November 14, 2019, at the Cebu Coliseum. CDN Digital photo | Doris Mae Mondragon
Cebu City, Philippines–The defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) broke away in the second half en route to scoring a 81-62 win over the University of Cebu (UC) in the 2019 Cesafi men’s basketball semifinals at the Cebu Coliseum on Thursday night, November 14, 2019.
UV’s win erased UC’s twice-to-beat advantage in the semis and forged a winner-take-all game on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the same venue.
The winner of this series will take on the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras, which advanced following a win over University of San Carlos (USC) last Tuesday, November 12, 2019.
Read: SWU-Phinma is back in the Cesafi finals
Raul Jancork Cabahug led UV with 17 points.
Listen to Cabahug’s post-game interview here:
Also playing a huge role in the win was rookie Gabriel Cometa, who sparked a huge run in the second half that pulled the game wide open. He finished with 16 markers but it was also his hustle on the floor that allowed UV to break away.
The defending champions actually were off to a sluggish start, lagging behind by three points at the end of the first quarter, 13-16.
However, UV’s Michael Heinrich Maestre opened the second quarter by staving that lead down to one, 17-18.
Cometa then tied the game for UV at 20-all. Maestre continued to wax hot by converting his four charities for a 28-22 lead.
Topscorer Cabahug, Froiland Maglasang, Sheldon Gahi and Las Coulibaly then each sank a basket to end the half in their favor, 36-29.
UV then built on that seven-point lead and slowly brought it up to double digits behind Cometa’s efforts. UV led, 65-49, going into the fourth.
The Green Lancers continued the onslaught into the final canto, wherein they posted their highest lead at 20 points on back-to-back baskets by Gahi, 69-49.
Cometa scored back-to-back baskets and Cabahug and Melvin Butohan added one each as UV rolled away to the rout.
Missed the game? Watch it here:
/bmjo