UV forward Jancork Cabahug attempts a shot against Lamine Thiam of SWU-Phinma in Game 1 of the Cesafi men’s basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum on November 18, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Gerard Vincent Francisco
Cebu City, Philippines—The Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras defeated the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 70-66, in game 1 of the Cesafi men’s basketball tournament finals on Monday night, November 18, 2019, at the Cebu Coliseum.
Clutch shots from Lamine Thiam and Sir Shaquille Imperial inside the last two-minute mark guaranteed the win for the Cobras as they were able to pull away from the Green Lancers by six points, 69-63.
Froiland Maglasang gave UV a chance when he sank a three that sliced the lead down to 66-69 but a bad pass by import Las Coulibaly after a failed attempt by SWU-Phinma spelled doom for the defending champions.
SWU-Phinma, the preseason Partner’s Cup champions, now have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series and can wrap up the series and deny UV a four-peat with a win in Game 2 on Thursday, November 21.
Thiam led the Cobras with 16 points while Imperial added 14.
UV was within 64-63 with 1:30 left when Thiam hit a long jumper from the wing to make it 66-63.
The Green Lancers had a chance to again slice the lead when Coulibaly collared a rebound and went for a shot but the smaller Imperial blocked his shot and gave SWU-Phinma the possession.
Thiam then found Imperial open from the right wing and the flashy guard drilled in a dagger three that gave SWU-Phinma a comfortable 69-63 lead with 52 seconds left.
Watch Imperial’s shot here:
Promising playmaker Gab Cometa led UV with 17 points while Sheldon Gahi added 12.
BOXSCORES:
SWU Phinma Cobras (70) – Thiam 16, Imperial 14, Cachuela 13, Polican 11, Roncal 9, Sanchez 5, Evardo 2.
UV Green Lancers (66) – Cometa 17, Gahi 12, Coulibaly 10, Cabahug 7, Maglasang 7, Soliva 7, Maestre 4, Delator 2. /bmjo
Watch the game here via Cesafi Live: