UV rallies past UC to advance to Cesafi men’s basketball finals

Jancork Cabahug of UV tries to get past the UC defense in a Cesafi men’s basketball semifinal game at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday, November 16, 2019. | CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa

CEBU CITY, Philippines —The University of the Visayas (UV) is making another finals appearance in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament.

This after the defending champion Green Lancers rallied to beat the University of Cebu, 76-75, in a thrilling do-or-die semifinal game on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at the Cebu Coliseum.

UV will next face the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras in the championship round that starts Monday, November 18, 2019, at the same venue.

It was quite an accomplishment for the Green Lancers, 13-time champions in this league, as they erased a twice-to-win disadvantage against the Webmasters.

Read: UV forces rubbermatch with UC

UC led by as many as 14, 28-14, in the second quarter and managed to keep UV at bay going into the fourth period.

The Green Lancers, however, slowly chipped away UC’s lead behind the efforts of gritty first year playmaker Gabriel Cometa.

“Coach Gary just told me to focus and just play my game, offensively and defensively,” said Cometa in a post-game interview with CDN Digital.

Check out Cometa’s post-game interview here:

https://www.facebook.com/cdndigital/videos/2588736537881415/

UV finally took the lead in the final 3:40 of the fourth, 68-67, and even built a five-point cushion at 74-69 in the final minute of the game.

UC refused to roll over as John Calvin Jabello and reigning three-point champion Paul Galinato each hit a three-pointer to give UC the lead, 75-74, with 19 seconds left.

UV seemed to have lost control of the possession in the ensuing play but Jancork Cabahug managed to fish for a foul while going for a desperation shot with 3 seconds left.

Cabahug, however, couldn’t take the freethrows as he seemed to have hurt his right knee during that last play, forcing UV coach Gary Cortes to pick Ted Saga to take the charities.

Saga, a steady shooter, made both freethrows to give UV back the lead.

UC called for timeout but still failed to convert in the last play as Rodel Gravera missed an open baseline jumper as time expired.

Lass Coulibally led the Green LAncers with 17 points while Cabahug and Cometa added 12 and 11, respectively. /dbs